On-Campus Student Housing

Perspectives on Student Housing Facilities and Operations – Recorded LIVE at the 2019 Annual Meeting with COCM Assistant Directors

What all is involved in running a student housing site? And who are the people behind the scenes managing and operating all the jobs that need to get done? During the 2019 COCM Annual Meeting, we sat down with four assistant directors – with various roles, including building operations, maintenance, business operation, and residence life – to learn from their experiences and stories.

Listen Your Way to Leadership in Student Housing – with Brian Kraft

Join the Conversation Podcast How I Got Into Student Housing – with Brian Kraft To be a successful leader in the student housing space, you need buy-in from all of the players involved. But how do you determine what’s driving each stakeholder and make decisions accordingly? Brian Kraft argues that learning to listen is the…

21st Century Challenges Facing Higher Education – with Brian Mitchell

Join the Conversation Podcast 21st Century Challenges Facing Higher Education – with Brian Mitchell There is no doubt that institutions of higher learning face a number of challenges, not the least of which is an unsustainable financial model. Tuition, fees, room and board no longer pay the bills—despite sticker prices as high as $72K a…

How I Got into Student Housing – with Jeremy Biddy

Join the Conversation Podcast How I Got into Student Housing – with Jeremy Biddy Many professionals in the world of student housing began as RAs, gaining exposure to the industry as college students and eventually realizing the opportunity to pursue a career in the space. But what if you weren’t a resident assistant in college?…

Ribbon Cutting at UMass Boston’s New Residence Hall

UMass Boston excited to open its first-ever residence Students now can truly call UMass Boston home. This past Tuesday, Mayor Walsh, Interim Chancellor Katherine Newman, University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan, local elected officials and university supporters gathered to celebrate a ribbon cutting for the very first residence hall at the University of Massachusetts, Boston…

Understanding Diversity of Sites – with Brian Kraft

Join the Conversation Podcast Brian Kraft on Diversity of Sites When it comes to student housing, there is simply no way to copy/paste a set of processes on each new campus. Rather, you need to gain an understanding of the institution and the property itself and customize your approach based on the circumstances at hand.…

How I Got Into Student Housing: Kelly Podach Francis

Join the Conversation Podcast How I Got Into Student Housing – with Kelly Podach Francis When a residence hall comes in under budget, that money can be invested in the building itself. But how do you make decisions around what improvements to prioritize? Kelly Podach Francis designs an action plan based on student feedback, and…

Driving Innovation at the Urban Research University

Join the Conversation Podcast Driving Innovation at the Urban Research University – with Harlan Sands How can an urban research university serve as an anchor for its community—attracting employers and giving talent a reason to stay in the city after graduation? Harlan Sands believes that the key is to serve as a hub of innovation,…

Rebuilding the Reputation of a Struggling Site

Join the Conversation Podcast Rebuilding the Reputation of a Struggling Site – with Jeremy Steed ‘We came in humble and approachable, wanting to collaborate.’ How do you turn around a student housing site that has spiraled into decline? Where do you begin when all of the problems—occupancy, reputation and facility issues—are intertwined? How do you…

COCM: A Talent Agency of Student Housing Professionals

In this new series, “Questions to the President,” we are asking questions that dive deeper into COCM and its mission and values. We hope that as Doug Brown answers these questions, you learn more about who we are as a company and how we work to provide great services in our partnerships across the country.…