SWACUHO Executive Board Highlights — March 2026

Meeting Overview

Date: March 20, 2026

Meeting Time: 8:31am – 10:19am

The Board met to debrief the Annual Conference, discuss upcoming initiatives, and continue work on strategic planning and operational projects for the year.

Key Discussion Areas

Annual Conference and Program Development

• Reviewed 2026 conference logistics, registration follow-up, and corporate sponsorship status (all payments now complete!).

• Discussed future Pre-Conference session planning and aligning ownership with the Program Committee.

• Program feedback, Best Of Series, and resource posting are in progress.

Strategic Plan and Membership Clarity

• The draft Strategic Plan is under Board review for the next month.

• State Directors will refine website language explaining membership date cycles and how new memberships align with annual terms.

Committee Engagement and Participation

• Committee Co-Chairs will be added to future Exec Meetings on a rotating basis.

• Several committee chair vacancies and interests were discussed; follow-up is underway.

• Communications Committee received approval to begin a blog post scheduling system to ensure consistent year-round content.

Awards and Recognition

• The Board supported updating the Bob Huss Outstanding Graduate Student Award criteria so nominees do not have to live in on-campus housing if they serve in housing roles.

• Awards and Recognition has begun sending nomination packets and planning spring communications.

Corporate Partner Engagement

• The Board discussed outreach to members from corporate sponsors.

• Future work will include reviewing data-sharing practices, clarifying expectations, and potentially adjusting sponsorship benefits.

Technology and Communications Updates

• 177 new members were added to the SWACUHO Nation listserv.

• Exploration is underway for targeted listservs, including Mid-Level and Graduate and Entry Level, if beneficial.

• Several website updates were completed, including Strategic Plan placement, Affiliation Agreement page, Dues Rate Schedule, and updated Executive Board and Committee Chair pages.

Practice Improvements

• The Board reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, including publishing abbreviated, Executive Board Highlights like this one.

• The blog may eventually support dedicated search tools to help members easily navigate organizational updates.

• Monthly budget/accounting summary will begin being provided.

Additional Operational Updates

• Work continues on the Non-Profit Task Force, committee camp agenda, and items for the ACUHO-I Campus Home.Live! silent auction.

• State Directors shared regional engagement plans and upcoming roundtables.

Voting Items

No voting items this month.

Treasurer Snapshot

• Updated budget details are available via the Treasurer’s shared Google Sheet.

• Robert C. Cooke Endowment Quarterly Update (Q4)

• • Fund Balance: $42,232.85

  • Available Funds for Distribution: $1,687.68

Scholarship Updates

• Campus Home. Live!

• • One scholarship awarded from the Robert C. Cooke Endowment Funds.

  • Two scholarships awarded from the ACUHO-I Foundation.

• NHTI

• • Eight people from the SWACUHO region were accepted to attend NHTI.

  • Four partial scholarships awarded from SWACUHO.

Upcoming Dates

• L.E.A.D. Committee Workshop: April 3 (Virtual)

• Next Executive Board Meeting: April 10 (Virtual)

• Mid-Level Summit: June 4–5 (College Station, TX)

Questions or Ideas?

Reach out to your State Director if you would like more information about anything mentioned here!

Arkansas State Director
Leanna Payton
Henderson State University
arkansas@swacuho.org

Oklahoma State Director
Whitney Arbaugh
Northeastern State University 
oklahoma@swacuho.org

Texas State Director
Nicholas Brown
East Texas A&M University
texas@swacuho.org

By JC Stoner

When I was an Assistant Director of Residence Life at the University of Texas at Arlington, “Liz” was an RA, but not in my supervisory umbrella. Based on community placement, Liz started the semester with the community development deck stacked against her for two reasons: (1) she worked in garden-style apartments; and, (2) her community was comprised of many student athletes.

Liz spent the entire fall semester trying to connect to the women’s basketball team in her community, with limited (if any) success in the transactional and countable ways on sociograms and assessment reports. Every time she knocked on their doors, nobody answered (even when she could see shadows moving through the peep hole). Any time she managed to catch one of them in person to invite to a program, they were “too busy” or “had practice”, even before she told them when the program was. But Liz persisted, which brings me to my all-time favorite RA story.

Towards the beginning of the spring semester, the women’s basketball team had an away game coming up. As I recall, it wasn’t even that special of a game. It wasn’t like a crosstown or division rival, so it wasn’t a game people were talking about. Student Affairs certainly wasn’t coordinating transportation and bus logistics to get students to demonstrate school spirit at a game several hours away.

Liz took it upon herself to hand write notes to the women’s basketball team in her community. Nothing extravagant; just something like “hey good luck at your away game this weekend. Building 28 residents are all behind you and we will be cheering from afar.” And the response Liz received? None whatsoever. But that’s okay because this is when the story starts to get good.

Fast forward two months to when it is time for the RAs to do health and safety inspections. Because inspections were a team effort, all the apartment RAs divided up rooms across all the communities which meant it wasn’t guaranteed that any RA would get their resident units to inspect. As it turns out, Liz’s inspection list included a woman’s basketball player’s room. Liz and her RA partner knocked, received no answer, keyed in, and then inspected the apartment just like every other apartment.

But this apartment wasn’t just like all the others because there was something Liz recognized taped to the vanity mirror in the bathroom. It was the handwritten card Liz had clipped to the apartment’s front door two months prior.

While I love this story for many reasons, the primary one is that it had a happy ending for Liz, who was over the moon feeling validated in her efforts. To help hammer home the point, I told Liz, “I don’t know about you, but I typically don’t hang meaningless crap on my bathroom mirror. I hang important things. Things that matter to me.”

This story is also a reminder that all too often our frontline staff never receive validation for their efforts, but that does not mean those efforts are in vain. Whenever I share this story, I am regularly amazed at the nuts and bolts of everything that had to transpire for Liz to experience this elevated moment. Truth be told, it was sheer happenstance. Another RA could have been assigned that room inspection. The letter could have been in a scrapbook of important moments. There are so many random things that happened that created that moment for Liz, and had the shifting sands of the operational landscape changed even slightly, Liz would have never have realized how much her effort mattered.

This story constantly reminds me that all too often our most junior staff don’t receive the validation of their efforts; but more importantly, it reminds me that those moments of connection exist even if nobody saw them.

But that also means that sometimes it is our job to help staff realize they matter above and beyond just simply saying “I’m sure there is a handwritten card hanging on someone’s mirror somewhere.”

J.C. Stoner, Ph.D.

Director of Housing Systems and Services

University of North Texas

By Beth Eppinger

I was not yet 30 years old and was somehow a Director. My vice chancellor coached me during my first few years in the position to choose my battles wisely or to not die on my own sword. Those nuggets are not only cliché, but they can be downright insulting to someone who has a lot of passion. If I knew something needed changed or someone was not doing their job, there must be action, right?! My boss recognized that a feature of my organizational skills was the ability to remember all points of situation and map them out when asked. Instead of the devil being in the details, I was in the details. I needed to see the forest through the trees by choosing battles wisely to allow the ultimate goal to be reached.

Focusing on these details and not seeing action would have ruined multiple relationships across campus. A Facilities Director hanging up on me? An Admissions Director watching Netflix during work? A Contracts Director telling me I should be fired for a housing contract they approved the prior year? No medical protection for RAs if they were injured while performing duties? As Housing professionals, we do not operate in a vacuum. We cannot cancel every person or office that does something that impedes our work. We must monitor and adjust as we stay focused on the big picture. Heeding the advice of my supervisor to document and reorient my approach aided in multiple successes over time for my team and students. All those questions/situations mentioned above were eventually resolved, and my department was successful every time. Slow and steady wins the race.

Beth Eppinger

Assistant Director for Housing Administrative Services

Texas Woman’s University

By SWACUHO Executive Board

Our next installment of the Hello SWACUHO! digest is here! Read all about preparing for Annual Conference, Save the Dates, 2026 candidate information and Annual Conference information!

Hello SWACUHO! - Pre-Conference Sent 1.29.26

A Journey of Growth, Community, and Connection

As SWACUHO celebrates its 60th anniversary, I find myself reflecting on the many ways this organization has shaped my professional identity and personal journey. For me, SWACUHO has never been just a conference, it has been a community, a classroom, and a catalyst for professional growth.

My SWACUHO story began in 2009, when we (University of Central Arkansas) co-hosted the annual conference with Arkansas State University and Arkansas Tech University in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I had the pleasure of serving on the host committee that year, an incredible experience that I still often think about. Being immersed in the behind-the-scenes work that brings a conference to life, from taste-testing meals to justifying particular budget items, the experience gave me a newfound appreciation for the intentionality and collaboration that define SWACUHO. Even then, as someone who identified strongly as a super introvert, I felt welcomed into a professional family that encouraged me to contribute, participate, and, most importantly, grow.

Over the years, SWACUHO has continued to be a meaningful space for me to share my professional thoughts and experiences. It has always been an environment where people celebrate one another’s work, learn together, and collectively elevate the field of housing and residence life. Through presentations, conversations, and committee involvement, I have had countless opportunities to highlight the innovative efforts happening at my home institution. Whether it was showcasing a new initiative, discussing assessment findings, or sharing emerging ideas, SWACUHO provided a platform where our work felt valued and impactful. My engagement deepened through the various committees I had the privilege to serve on, each one offering new avenues to grow, learn, and give back. One of my most favorite roles was serving as the committee chair for the Research, Assessment, and Information Committee.

SWACUHO has also nudged me, sometimes gently, sometimes boldly, out of my introverted comfort zone. For someone who once preferred to remain quietly in the background, this organization has helped me find my professional voice. It encouraged me to present, to lead, to network, and to embrace opportunities I might have once shied away from. Some of the most meaningful professional relationships I have today began at SWACUHO.

One of the most unexpected and exciting opportunities SWACUHO provided was being featured on their podcast to discuss some of my ongoing research. Never would I have imagined that I would be speaking on a podcast about the work I was so passionate about. Yet again, SWACUHO created a space where I felt supported, encouraged, and confident enough to share my voice and my ideas with a wider audience.

Perhaps one of the impacts I’m most proud of, however, is the influence SWACUHO has had on the graduate students we work with at UCA. Over the last 16 years, we have introduced more than a hundred graduate students to the organization, many attending their first professional conference through SWACUHO. Watching these emerging professionals find their footing, make connections, and discover their own professional homes within SWACUHO has been incredibly rewarding. Some of them have continued to stay deeply involved, carving out their own paths of service and leadership within the organization. Knowing that we played a small role in helping them find their professional community is one of the most meaningful legacies of my involvement.

As SWACUHO celebrates six decades of fostering professional development, I feel immense gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunities, the relationships, the lessons, and the space this organization has created for so many of us to learn, lead, and belong.

Here’s to 60 years of growth, and to the countless stories, connections, and moments still to come. SWACUHO has shaped the past and present of my professional journey, and I am excited to see how it continues to inspire and impact the next generation of housing professionals across our region.

October 1 – 2, Baylor University hosted our organization’s Mid-Year Meeting at the Hilton Waco and Waco Convention Center. Their team was there in full force to welcome attendees and to continue formulating plans for our annual conference. February will be here soon, and I look forward to celebrating 60 years of SWACUHO with you! Corporate Partnerships enjoyed walking the exhibit hall, and they hope to “sell out” of booth space. The Program Committee successfully slated all programs and have many alternative proposals. Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal! The Executive Board spent time virtually meeting with committee chairs, discussing their updates, and reviewing proposals. Our Placement Committee is now Career Pathways, and I am excited to see where their journey leads.

The Executive Board took time to review the Diversity and Social Justice Committee, the Institutional Diversity Award, and the Individual Diversity Award. The DSJ Committee has been dissolved. We thank Sydney and Josh for their leadership. The diversity awards, which received no submissions last year, were also dissolved. Our SWACUHO pathway must take the fork in the road and travel in a different direction.

One of my presidential objectives this year was to close out or refine our current strategic plan. In light of changes for our organization mentioned in my spring blog post and this blog post, the board spent time at the Mid-Year Meeting to sunset the current strategic plan, draft a purpose statement, and develop framework for a new strategic plan. Spoiler alert: Many key ingredients from our prior strategic plan show up in the new one that is being developed, including our Pathways focus area.

Other Fall Announcements:

·         Our taxes are already filed! Thank you, Treasurer Ricky Harris!

·         Our fall conferences will be kicking off October 24 - 25 with the Student Staff Leadership Conference in College Station!

·         Our annual call for SWACUHO Awards submissions is NOW OPEN and closes November 15!

·         Be sure to follow our social media @SWACUHO on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date!

I know our work is filled with challenges. Thank you for all you are doing for your students. Remember that your well-being matters.

If you would like to discuss this blog post or any SWACUHO matters, please reach out to President Beth Eppinger at president@swacuho.org.

Every professional has a story about how they landed in student affairs—some stumbled into it, others chased it from the start. October is Careers in Student Affairs Month, the perfect time to share those journeys. In Housing & Residence Life especially, our paths are often winding, full of unexpected turns, yet strangely familiar too. Ready to hear how three colleagues found their way here? Let’s dive in.

A Student of the Journey

Like most of you, my student affairs journey started unbeknownst to me. Not like many of you (maybe some), it began at Oakland University where I had served as a tutor, desk worker, and orientation leader all before my junior year. The first time I heard of the career was in my junior year and my former academic advisor and current supervisor said have you ever wondered why you have liked all your jobs and never decided on a major for more than a semester? Well, that got me. I had switched my major 4 times at that point and was telling him how much I loved my job as a Student Success Coach and as a Housing Night Watch desk worker. He broke it down with me and showed me the conferences and the graduate programs I could get into. He even said I could become someone like our Dean of Students, who was iconic on our campus, it all depended on what drove me. Students. At the end of this conversation, he said I should look out for opportunities in Housing to get involved and ask my Residence Director about any others.

Sure enough, an email came out about attending OPE to all student staff to see who wanted to go to Wisconsin to be the interviewer for the graduate assistant positions we had vacant for the next year. This OPE experience changed my life like no other. I had the chance to learn about the ‘why’ of so many people that were eager to start their student affairs careers. I was also able to start a mentorship with my future supervisor in my RA role. He taught me so much about crafting my resume, cover letter, and how to interview in the placement exchange. Wild to think that an introvert like me was going to a placement exchange with hundreds of people that I didn’t know and talk to them like I had known them for more than a day. I don’t do small talk. This led me to the University of Central Arkansas. I was lucky enough to have moved across states along with a friend from Oakland and started this program together. Today, we are very much still the greatest of friends.

At UCA I would grow into my own as an RHA and NRHH Advisor and host a conference for SWACURH. Those two years I developed an understanding of what the field is and what it would mean to be a professional in my future ‘adult’ job. I am grateful for the friends I made, the classmates that aided my education, and most of all those that pushed me to be better whether you knew it or not. The impact this experience had on me is one for the books and cannot be fully described in words.

Who would have thought that I would still be in Arkansas today. It has been almost 7 years since my first job here at the University of Arkansas. While I was a Hall Director, I got to expand on my ability to participate in professional organizations and conferences. I was supported in being a Regional NRHH Advisor for SWACURH that taught me how to balance my roles, time, and energy. The COVID-19 pandemic and all that occurred in 2020 helped me find my professional voice and my drive as an educator in new ways. Professionally, I learned how to dedicate time to my own development in addition to my students. In 2018 I was a participant in SWACUHO-U and that led me to want to contribute back to the experience. I joined the Professional Development committee and helped transition it to an online experience during the pandemic. Little did I know this was setting me up to be the chair in the long run and one of the first chairs to bring SWACUHO-U back to an in-person experience.

My ‘new’ ‘adult’ job now is the Assistant Director for Residence Education here at the University of Arkansas. I supervise hall directors, and I do outreach for students in crisis. If you asked me what drives me today in my career, it stays the same. Students.

But students are not just the ones enrolled in classes. They are you. New experiences come up all the time. You could have a long-term goal of having a doctorate and not know when to start or what program. Then suddenly you are 2 years into a Human Resources Development doctorate program. The journey will always surprise you.

While I type this blog here, I am surprised with it. In that reflection I have determined one thing to be true, let the journey surprise you and let yourself be a student of the journey.

Maddie De BucceAssistant Director for Residence Education-University of Arkansas

When a Paycheck becomes a Calling

When people ask how I got into Student Affairs, I usually laugh and say, “Well, I definitely didn’t plan it.” My path wasn’t a straight line—it was more like a winding road with detours, wrong turns, and a few people pointing me back on track.

I grew up in a single-income household, so money was always a factor when it came to college. My family wanted me to go, but a university just wasn’t realistic at first. Then I received the President’s Leadership Scholarship at Rose State College, and that changed everything. It didn’t just cover tuition—it opened the door to experiences that ended up shaping my whole future.

Funny enough, I actually started out as a Criminal Justice major. That lasted one semester. I realized very quickly that science was not for me. Like, at all. (What’s biology? jk.) So I shifted gears, and honestly, I’m glad I did.

While at Rose, I jumped into everything—clubs, volunteer work, events. I even tagged along with recruiters to local high schools. At first, it felt odd. Me, an introvert, talking to groups of high school students about college? But I ended up loving it. That was probably the first real spark for Student Affairs. I didn’t know the name for it yet, but I loved connecting with students, sharing resources, and helping them imagine themselves in college.

Later, one of my advisors encouraged me to transfer to the University of Central Oklahoma and finish a bachelor’s in Strategic Communications. My “plan” at that point was corporate communications—helping organizations with internal culture and messaging. But then a former supervisor asked me to come back to Rose State and work in the housing department. I said no. For six months. (Yes, I was that stubborn.) Eventually, I gave in because I needed the money while finishing my degree.

That’s when everything shifted. What I thought would be just a paycheck became a calling. I loved Student Affairs—the late-night conversations, the quick “how’s your day going?” chats, the chance to walk alongside students through all the ups and downs of college. Cheesy as it sounds, I thought I was opening doors for students, but really, they were opening the door for me.

I did take a short detour to the Foundation and Resource Development office, helping raise money for scholarships. The work was meaningful, but I missed being in the thick of things with students. I missed hearing about their classes and their weekend plans, celebrating the little wins, and being there when things got hard. That’s when I realized where my heart truly was—right there in the halls, in Residence Life.

Looking back now, I see how much the Student Affairs professionals in my life shaped me. They encouraged me, believed in me, and pushed me toward opportunities I never would’ve taken on my own. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am. And that’s exactly the kind of influence I hope to have on the students I work with—that one day they’ll look back and remember that someone in Student Affairs cared, listened, and reminded them they belonged. That’s the full-circle moment I live for.

If you had told 18-year-old me—the quiet Criminal Justice major who thought she’d end up in corporate communications—that I’d be running around at housing events, laughing with students, and helping them figure out college life? I would’ve rolled my eyes and said, “Yeah, right.” But here I am. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Danielle Cornejo
Assistant Director of Residence Life-Rose State College, Oklahoma

Finding Joy in Creating Spaces Where Students Can Learn, Lead, and Thrive

Howdy SWACUHO!!

My name is Madison Evans, and I currently serve as a Community Manager at Texas A&M University. My journey in Residence Life began during my freshman year at Mississippi State University, where I took on the role of Resident Advisor. At the time, I was pursuing a degree in Criminology with the hope of becoming a Behavioral Analyst for the FBI. However, my experience as a RA opened my eyes to the transformative impact we can have on students’ lives. Being a part of committees in the departments allowed me to gain insight on what a full-time profession in Residence Life looked like and that’s when my path shifted towards student affairs.

Transitioning into supervisory roles- first as a desk manager, then a graduate student, and now as a full time professional did not come without its challenges. I have stepped into teams that were accustomed to different leadership styles and have not taken to change very well. I knew that I would need to be very intentional in being a supervisor to them. I know that I am a supervisor who builds trust and rapport, while also holding them accountable when necessary. Over time, I’ve come to define my supervision style as one that is rooted in Sandford’s Challenge and Support Theory. I strive to uplift and empower my staff, all while encouraging them to growth through constructive challenges. I am still evolving in this area, and I am thankful to have a former supervisor, now mentor, and a current supervisor who models this same supervision style with me. They remind have or do remind me of my professional goals even when I lose sight of them.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working Residence Life at Mississippi State University, the University of Central Arkansas, and now Texas A&M. Each institution has helped me grow in my passion for leadership development. From Chairing SAACURH RBC to Co-Chairing SWACUHO SSLC, I’ve found joy in creating spaces where students can learn, lead, and thrive.

Another area I’m deeply passionate about is supporting first-year students in their transition to college. For the past four years, I’ve overseen the operations of a first-year residence hall, where I’ve witnessed the amazing process of learning, unlearning, and relearning that these students undergo. It’s a vulnerable and often overwhelming time, but also one filled with resilience and growth. I believe that learning outside the classroom is just as important as what is happening inside it. From organizational involvement and programs to conduct conversation and roommate mediations, these experiences shape a student’s co-curricular journey and contribute to their holistic development.

Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of my story and what led me to Residence Life. I am excited to continue learning, growing, and connecting as I continue my professional journey!!

Thanks & Gig’ Em

Madison Evans
Community Manager- Texas A&M

By SWACUHO Executive Board

Our next installment of the new Hello SWACUHO! digest is here! Read all about what Exec Board has been up to and upcoming events!

Hello SWACUHO! - Summer/Fall Sent 8.27.25

By President Beth Eppinger

I am excited and humbled to share that our organization is doing well. This summer we approved a balanced budget for this fiscal year, our taxes were filed, all executive board members and committee chairs are still onboard and thriving, and sponsorships are increasing! There are A LOT of opportunities right now for membership involvement to continue the success of our organization:

• SWACUHO 2026 Program Proposals. YOU have a topic that is waiting to be shared in a program session at our annual conference in February. The August 30 deadline for submissions is quickly approaching. Please consider submitting a program proposal, and then tell your supervisor to do the same.

• Student Staff Leadership Conference. Texas A&M is excited to host your student staff October 24-26! To prepare for the conference, they are asking advisors and attendees to submit program proposals.

• Senior Housing Officer Workshop & SWACUHO-U. Denton, Texas, will be the host city of both mini conferences in early November. If you are a new entry-level housing professional or senior housing officer, please plan to attend!

• Diversity. The Diversity and Social Justice committee recently hosted a town hall, and now they are seeking feedback for the future direction of their committee. Please consider taking the quick survey!

• Frank Cloud Award of Excellence. The topic has been announced, and case studies are due October 1. Learn more about the award and process Here.

• Host SWACUHO 2028! Are you in Texas? Would you be interested in hosting SWACUHO 2028? Reach out to conferences@swacuho.org for more information! 

• Membership Drive. Institutional memberships are valid October – September. Please ask your SHO if they have paid for membership so you may continue to have access to all things SWACUHO. If they need assistance with renewal, they may reach out to their state director or our Technology Coordinator.

ACUHO-I Report: This summer I attended ACUHO-I in Columbus, Ohio. Thank you for the opportunity to represent our region during the Regional Presidents Meeting. President-elect J.C. Stoner and I advocated for transparency and communication, spoke about best practices for regional leadership with other presidents, and previewed a comprehensive event calendar shared by all regions. J.C. and I, along with other executive board members Delton Gordon, Ricky Harris, and Mackenzie Wysong-Bentley, hosted our regional reception and enjoyed catching up with more than 70 SWACUHO members and friends. If your school is not a member of ACUHO-I due to financial constraints, there are institutional membership scholarships available from ACUHO-I. Please reach out to me at president@swacuho.org for more information. 

All Things August: We are only six weeks removed from the summer solstice, yet all things related to FALL in our jobs ramp up right now. At least the weather reminds us it is still technically summer. TWU Executive Director Jill Eckardt recently asked her staff how they decompress or take a break during a big move-in day. Answers included 30 minutes away with their notifications silenced, visiting another building, changing their socks, eating in their apartment, and more. My answer is waking up early enough to arrive to campus to ensure things are ready to go and then relaxing in a golf cart in a quiet parking lot while enjoying the sunrise. I breathe deep and snap some photos before the day begins. Find your moment during move-in to recharge. You, your staff, and your students will be better for it. I hope all your trainings go well and that you witness greatness in your team this month. Do not hesitate to use your resources such as the SWACUHO listserv if you have a question. Send a few fun staff move-in photos to communications@swacuho.org. Take time to submit a SWACUHO 2026 program proposal by August 30. Have a fantastic opening!!

Beth Eppinger

SWACUHO President

by J.C. Stoner, President-Elect

This is a continuation from Part 1.

I arrived at the Texas Capitol by 7:00am on Tuesday, May 6 to provide testimony on “the importance of ensuring stable housing for students and the way that housing plays a critical role in student success” for HB 2476. The Committee on Higher Education hearing wouldn’t start for another hour, so I had plenty of time to live in my own head. I wandered around the Capitol looking for room E2.306. Now I used to work in housing operations where we would walk housing properties all day every day and I’ve walked some doozy of some buildings with complex numbering schemas, but I couldn’t find E2.306. It wasn’t on the second-floor east wing as one might intuitively think. A police officer ended up directing me to the underground basement extension down an exceptionally long hallway.

I connected with the Chief of Staff. She took me to get registered as a witness. When entering my information into the computer, she told me to make sure I typed everything correctly and to double check. Was this a problem people had? Spelling their name correctly? I remembered the last piece of advice I got during my drive the night before: “the most important thing you need to do is not embarrass yourself.” I guess the first way to avoid that is to spell my name right.

I then went into Representative Simmons office and met all her staff. It was a really special moment. People kept coming in and talking shop. They were delivering folders, talking about past bills and the rush to end the legislative session. I asked them about the funding, and the description I got finally connected with me.

“Think of it this way: This bill is creating the bucket, but not putting any money in it. Then later down the road someone else will fill the bucket. The Comptroller has the discretion to fill the bucket at any time, but eventually our goal is for this grant to be a line item in the actual state budget with regular funding.”

Representative Simmons came in and we talked for a few minutes. I learned her backstory and the backstory of many in her office. By now I was starting to feel it. There was a juice in the air. Nobody was running around cutting people’s ties or anything like that, but there was an undeniable energy.

We went to the committee hearing and Representative Simmons, her Chief of Staff, and I sat in the corner and waited our turn. The Chief of Staff told me that I would go up there when called. But there was a problem. There were three chairs, but only Representative Simmons and I would be up there; or would we be rotating? “The most important thing you need to do is not embarrass yourself.” I should have watched some more videos of past hearings to see where people sat…

I leaned over to the Chief of Staff, “which chair do I sit in?” She responded, “the one on the right.” Got it.

The representative got up and introduced the bill. While talking, she said “11.8% of community college students in Texas experience homelessness…” Oh uh. My statement said 8% of college students, but I knew from my research her stat was also true. The difference was the modifier “community college students”. What would it say if the witness she invited shared differing statistics? I quickly scratched out 8% on my handwritten notes and scribbled in 8%-12%. Working in housing has certainly taught me to think quickly and be adaptable under pressure.

The committee chair finally called me up. I sat down and thought, “here we go. Don’t embarrass yourself.”

“You’ve registered as James Staner? Or is it Stoner?” Uh oh. What is going on? Did I actually spell my name wrong?! Maybe he was just being courteous to pronounce it correctly?

“Uh… Stoner.” Now I’m swimming in my head and didn’t hear him ask me to confirm my neutrality on the bill.

“I’m sorry?”

“You are neutral on the bill?”

“That’s right.”

Time to get back in control and act like I belonged. So I started reading my statement.

It went reasonably well for my first time doing something like this. I don’t think I embarrassed myself. A few key notes about my statement that I think are important for anyone who ever does this for their first time:

• I am employed as a state employee, but I was not there for that role and I was not representing my institution. I made it clear from the outset that I was here in my capacity as President-Elect of SWACUHO. I never mentioned my job title, my responsibilities, or my school. “I am here in my capacity as President-Elect of SWACUHO…”
• I was taught growing up when speaking to people to “Look at me, speak to me, smile at me.” I had observed that most people who came before just read the statement with little eye contact attempted. The few times I tried looking at the committee I got a little off on the statement. I’m here to deliver the statement, not build a relationship. Deliver the statement and save the eye contact for Q&A.
• Two minutes goes fast, but with enough practice, it doesn’t go that fast. I ended up only using 1 minutes and 53 seconds. Even with limited time there is always time to slow down.
• I’ve learned from hearing a lot of staff advocate for various things or construct arguments for changes is they would have been better leaving their emotions at the door. Sometimes trying too hard to create an emotional reaction undermines the content. Stick to the facts and let the facts speak for themselves.

Next up was the questions the committee could ask. This is where all control goes out the window. I’m not reading a statement anymore. I would be responding in real time to unknown prompts, if any questions were even asked. I was told I wouldn’t likely get any questions, but of course I did.

The first question I received I didn’t fully understand in the moment. I thought I did, but afterwards, when processing the exchange, I realized I may have missed the actual question buried in there. This tends to happen when housing professionals try and explain the nuances of our field to people who aren’t housing professionals. I imagine the same is true when I ask anyone a question about what they do.

The second question I received was about how the grant might impact existing financial aid like Pell grants.

The words of my friend the night before echoed in my head about deferring a question I either don’t know or aren’t qualified to answer. But I didn’t need that advice because I’ve told countless students working front desks that we are not experts on financial aid and we shouldn’t be giving details about how financial aid packages apply to student housing costs. There is just too much risk if they say something wrong or, more often, the person asking hears something else.

And then it was over. I went back to the Representative’s office and we talked some more.

I witnessed another conversation that was fascinating to me. Some staffer came in to deliver another folder. This person told the staffer “I watched the feed about the bill you just presented. That was a really good layout.”

What struck me about this interaction was two things:

• This person was talking to the staff member and said, “…the bill you presented.” This staffer wasn’t even present at the hearing, but clearly there was an acknowledgement of all the backend work and how everyone in the representative’s office made that moment happen. I was reminded that an RA may give a resident their key on move-in day, but it took the assignments staff to create the booking, the maintenance techs to turn the room, the housekeepers to clean the room, and everyone else to make that first moment happen for a new resident.
• He didn’t focus on the content or the purpose; he focused his compliment on the “layout.” I took that as how the bill was presented and the logical flow to introduce an idea and support it. Presentation matters.

Before I left I told Representative Simmons and her staff that it was kind of fun to be a part of the process. Representative Simmons leaned over to me, smiled, and said: “Isn’t it?”

Is this how people get into public policy? Is this how people transfer their housing skills into anything? A single two-minute moment?

They thanked me for my participation and how valuable it was. And then I was on the back on the road. Less than 20 hours from when I left, I was back in DFW.

Here is a link to the video recording of the hearing.

• 14:10 – bill introduction
• 16:52 – beginning of my statement
• 19:20 – questions
• 21:55 – bill closing

J.C. Stoner, Ph.D.

President-Elect

SWACUHO