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Balancing Priorities
The impact of these entry-level vacancies on housing departments can be complex,
and the most obvious impact is the extra work that must be delegated to remaining
staff. Some institutions do not compensate their staff for taking on extra duties, which
can create a negative atmosphere for existing staff while increasing the risk of pushing
good employees out the door. Furthermore, many positions remain vacant for an extended
period of time, increasing the difficulty of delegating extra workloads, as these
temporary fixes could very well last for more than six months in some instances. Conversations
with some senior housing and mid-level housing officers at conferences indicated
that their departments have chosen to combat the challenges of recruitment by
relaxing qualifications (educational and related experience requirements in particular),
which invites a new host of challenges.
FACTORS INFLUENCING RESIGNATION AND RECRUITMENT ISSUES
Inadequate Compensation
NASPA's (2022) Compass Report about the future of student affairs revealed that the
most common area for concern is with salary and compensation. A total of 88%
(n = 842) of survey respondents (n = 957)-with 28% (n = 269) representing on-campus
housing-reported that their compensation packages are not competitive in terms of
the experience and education required for the position. Furthermore, 70% (n = 670) of
respondents believe their salaries do not align with their required job responsibilities.
Many positions in housing have a wide scope of responsibilities, regardless of
whether the position is entry level or senior leadership. The reality is that oftentimes
the addition of " other duties as assigned " can prove to be exhausting, resulting in the
risk of burnout. Those in entry-level positions, in particular, are continually being challenged
to deliver a high level of work performance to provide premier college experiences
for students amid continuously diminishing budgets and resources.
Unfavorable Work Environment
Another prominent factor exacerbated by the pandemic was the unfavorable work
environment. Job burnout-fueled by factors such as unrealistic workloads, scarce
opportunities for advancement or promotion, role ambiguity, lack of support, and
feeling undervalued by the department-has been identified as a culprit affecting
career resilience well before the pandemic (Wilson, 2008). An ACUHO-I report on
the recruitment and retention of entry-level staff drew attention to these factors and
called for housing leadership to promptly address these issues (Wilson, 2008).
Since 2020, housing departments have witnessed a mass exodus
of entry-level housing professionals, which created a vacuum
(often referred to as the " Great Resignation " or the " Big Quit " ), part of
a national phenomenon affecting various job industries across the U.S.
74 The Journal of College and University Student Housing
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