The Student Housing Matters blog explores ideas with leaders in higher education and the student housing profession. This is the place to find stories from those who have worked in the field for many years, podcast interviews, and videos about relevant topics in the student housing world.

It’s about matters relating to on-campus student housing, as well as why quality on-campus student housing really matters. We want this blog to serve as a forum for sharing ideas and insights about how your on-campus student housing can do things beyond simply housing students. How it can be used as a more powerful tool to recruit and retain students on your campus. We look forward to you joining us in the conversation.

Submit a Topic

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Video

Covid-19 Pandemic: What are High School Seniors Thinking?

April 30, 2020

Highlights: Outgoing high school seniors are still planning to attend college in the fall. So far, COVID-19 has not influenced which college students will be attending.  It is extremely important for college administrators to communicate clearly and concisely. Students are concerned most about not knowing whether they are being kept fully in the loop! Information…

Read More
Blog

Top Channels for Communicating with Students – with Mellissa Taylor

April 10, 2020

During her tenure at COCM, Mellissa Taylor quickly became known among students as The Housing Lady. So, what did she learn as the face and voice of student housing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham? How have those lessons around communicating with students carried over to her current role in higher ed?Mellissa serves as…

Read More
Podcast

Build Lasting Influence with Infrastructure – with Tricia Wells

February 21, 2020

“Build the bridge as you walk across it. Just find something and try it out and define it. And then over time, it becomes the normal that everybody’s used to—an efficiently run process.” In her ten-year career with COCM, Tricia Wells played a major role in developing the infrastructure we use today, creating several of…

Read More
Podcast

Getting Connected on a New Campus – with Amy Lorenz

September 26, 2019

Student affairs professionals are sometimes hesitant to pursue a role with COCM, thinking that the transition back to a university setting will be challenging. Today, Amy Lorenz joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to share her successful move from facilities and operations at Capstone to UNF, explaining how to make connections on a new campus!

Read More
Podcast

Leveraging Support to Initiate BIG Change – with Jes Lassiter

June 6, 2019

If you’re looking to make a big change, the first step is to share your intentions—and then accept help when it’s offered. Today, guest host Tara Wilkinson is joined by Jes Lassiter to explain how the support she received from colleagues in higher ed at COCM inspired her to pursue an extraordinary venture!

Read More
Podcast

Marrying Access + Excellence in Higher Ed – with Dr. Eileen Strempel

April 24, 2019

How can we be elite without being elitist? Today, I’m joined by Dr. Eileen Strempel to discuss the marriage of access with excellence in higher ed. She shares her commitment to being an unabashed champion of transfer students and describes our responsibility to be responsive and welcoming to the shifting demographics of the student body.

Read More
Podcast

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

April 10, 2019

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.

Read More
Podcast

Reflections on Working in Student Housing – with Brian Collins

March 25, 2019

After working with COCM for over 10 years, IT Coordinator, Brian Collins, made the decision to move to a new company in a new professional field. Brian explains why he needed this shift and encourages others at COCM that the need for growth doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the company to find ways to stretch yourself – he suggests to engage in opportunities outside of your defined roles, and see what you learn.

Read More