Abstract
Kobby Mensah, a second-year graduate student, works as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Academic Advising at Sunnyvale University College. Kobby is tasked with advising new students and helping them build their class schedules under the supervision of Dr. Ram Madison, the Director of Academic Advising and Planning who oversees the University’s academic and advising policies. Brenda Finney is a Resident Advisor (RA) in Gaga Hall and is responsible for assisting students with getting acclimated to the residence hall and campus. A scheduling conflict for one of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students, Didi Wright, nearly leads to Didi dropping out of college. This case examines how institutional miscommunication and the absence of key leadership contribute to tensions between Academic Advising and Residence Life, affecting Didi’s ability to meet both academic and residence hall commitments. The extended residence hall program in Gaga Hall, designed to foster inclusion and relationship-building among a diverse student population, has become a source of conflict due to delayed communication between Residence Life and other departments and functional areas. The Office of Residence Life and Academic Advising are involved to demonstrate how leadership, planning, and coordination, must be incorporated in a holistic response to support Didi.
Keywords: academic advising, residence life, retention, communication, STEM program
Characters
- Kobby Mensah (he/him), a second-year graduate student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration masters program, works as a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Academic Advising
- Brenda Finney (she/her), a sophomore and a first-year Resident Advisor (RA) in Gaga Hall
- Didi Wright (she/her), a first- year student studying Computer Science and a resident of Gaga Hall
- Ram Madison (he/him), the Director of Academic Advising and Planning
Institutional Context
Sunnyvale University College is a mid-sized private institution with approximately 7,000 students in Grand Island, Nebraska, known for its strong STEM programs. The Office of Academic Advising works closely with The Office of Residence Life to ensure students’ academic and social needs are met. New students, particularly those in STEM fields, often face challenges in balancing academic schedules with residence life activities due to the demanding nature of their coursework. This academic year, Gaga Hall became home to one of the university’s most diverse first-year student cohorts, and during the first week of the semester, some students in the hall experienced challenges adjusting to the different identities, backgrounds, and cultures of their peers.
To address this, the Residence Life team implemented an extended residence hall program in Gaga Hall as a contingency plan to foster inclusion, bonding, and relationship-building among residents. However, due to the sudden departure of the Hall Director shortly before the semester began, there was limited time to communicate this new program effectively across departments and functional areas. This miscommunication created tension between Academic Advising and Residence Life, with students like Didi Wright sitting at the center of the conflict.
Case
Kobby Mensah, a Graduate Assistant in the Office of Academic Advising, plays a critical role in helping new students in STEM programs, plan their academic schedules. One of his primary responsibilities is advising students on course selection, ensuring they meet prerequisites and major requirements while managing their workload. Kobby reports to Dr. Ram, the Director of Academic Advising and Planning, who supervises all academic advising initiatives and policies of the university and supervises Kobby, supporting him.
The situation begins when Didi Wright, a first-year computer science student and resident of Gaga Hall, finds herself overwhelmed by a scheduling conflict. Her structured STEM curriculum requires her to attend a mandatory sequence of classes. The conflict arises when Didi realizes that her evening class schedules overlap with the new residence hall programs aimed at building community within the residence hall. Didi needs to attend these programs as part of her residence hall’s requirements for first-year students but missing any core classes will put her behind in her challenging STEM program. Sunnyvale University maintains a clear policy that academic commitments always take precedence over out-of-classroom activities, including residence hall programs. However, as a new student, Didi feels caught up between conflicting expectations and initially did not know how to seek help.
Brenda Finney, a first-time Resident Advisor eager to make a strong impression, stresses in an email to her residents, including Didi, that participation in all extended residence life activities is critical to fostering inclusion in Gaga Hall. RA Brenda, feeling the pressure of managing a diverse group of students without direct guidance from a Hall Director, highly encouraged attendance at the residence hall programs.
Didi, caught between her academic commitments and the hall’s social expectations, tells Kobby during an advising session: “I don’t think I can handle this. I didn’t even know who to talk to initially about this conflict and it feels like no one understands how much I’m struggling with school and my social commitments”. Kobby recognizes that Didi’s concerns extend beyond the immediate scheduling conflict and reflect broader issues of inclusion and belonging.
The Conflict Unfolds
Kobby consults with Dr. Ram, who emphasizes the importance of addressing Didi’s academic needs while collaborating with Residence Life to find a solution. In a meeting with a Residence Life representative and the Academic Advising Office chaired by Dr. Ram, the residence life member shares that Brenda is feeling unprepared to balance her responsibilities as an RA with the new residence hall program’s goals.
Additionally, the Residence Life representative explains that the program was introduced to address challenges related to diversity in Gaga Hall, but the lack of communication from Residence Life leadership has left Brenda uncertain about how to accommodate academic priorities. The Residence Life team assures Dr. Ram that Brenda has been informed that academic responsibilities come before residence life programs. The Residence Life Team assures Dr. Ram that they will officially communicate with Academic Advising and other offices about the new Gaga Hall program being implemented.
During the meeting Dr. Ram, the Residence Life representative, and Kobby propose a plan that involves adjusting Didi’s academic schedule to attend two early morning classes for the affected courses while allowing her to participate in the new residence hall program which runs through the first month of the semester. The changes are possible because the window for adding and dropping classes is still open.
Upon carefully considering the alternative schedules, Didi agrees to the new class arrangements, allowing her to attend the required core classes while also participating in key Gaga Hall programs. Kobby also arranges regular follow-up advising sessions with Didi to ensure she feels supported and to ensure that the new schedule works for her.
Discussion Questions
- How can Brenda support Didi during Residence Hall program meetings?
- How can Residence Life collaborate with the academic advising team to avoid conflicts with mandatory hall programs in the future?
- How can institutions/student affairs professionals better support students who are balancing academic and social commitments?
- What (if any) special considerations should staff bear in mind for supporting STEM students through their transitions into higher education?
- What key leadership skills are needed to mediate conflicts between students and staff in higher education settings?
- What strategies can graduate assistants employ to put their leadership skills into practice while maintaining positive relationships with their fellow staff members in their functional area or other functional areas within a university?
Author Biographies
Ebenezer Kofi Asiaw (he/him): Ebenezer is a second-year graduate student in the College Student Personnel program at Bowling Green State University. Ebenezer’s assistantship is with the College Student Personnel program.
Kailah Williamson (she/her): Kailah is a second-year masters student in the College Student Personnel program at Bowling Green State University. Kailah’s assistantship is with The Office of Student Engagement as a Graduate Hall Director.