Talking Stick - July/August 2010 - 48

SNAPSHOT

Michael Steven Williams
AMBITIOUS STUDENTS WORK REALLY HARD TO BE PART OF COUNTLESS ORGANIZATIONS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES ...
What’s the ﬁrst thing you do when you get into the ofﬁce each morning?
The ﬁrst thing I do is create a to-do list of the most important tasks that I have to accomplish for the day. It is easy to lose focus and get sidetracked by e-mail and other minutiae, so I like to create a game plan for the day before I do anything else.

What do you wish was different about your job?
I really enjoy working in housing. If I changed anything, I would increase the focus on professional development for student affairs educators and improve the relationship between our student affairs department and the Graduate School of Education.

What’s the biggest issue for the students on your campus right now?
Students on our campus need to develop better time management and commitment management skills. Ambitious students work really hard to be part of countless organizations and take advantage of numerous opportunities without thinking about the level of time and energy it takes to do a truly outstanding job at the commitments they deem most relevant and important.

New social technology and media like texting and Twitter: How has it helped your communication with staff and students? Is there a downside to this type of communication?
I use text and Blackberry messenger to communicate with my staff and students on a daily basis. I like that they have access to me and vice versa essentially at any time. The only downside I see is when people are not thoughtful about the time (i.e., late at night) that they issue requests through text.

What’s the biggest issue you see facing the profession right now?
The ongoing struggle to show the salience of the cocurricular experience that we provide as student affairs educators. We need more alliances across all facets of the university that are aimed at student success and persistence until graduation.

Best speaker or book you’ve been impressed by?
Shaun Harper (professor at University of Pennsylvania) is a dynamic and thoughtful speaker on a wide range of topics, but especially around critical race theory in the academy and AfricanAmerican male persistence in higher education. My favorite book right now is Leadership and SelfDeception by the Arbinger Institute. It changed the way I process interpersonal interactions.

What makes your campus unique?
Our campus is essentially a city unto itself. Though situated about two hours away from the closest major cities, there is a vibrant artistic scene, great restaurants, and underrated nightlife.

Last meal at a campus dining hall?
Brazilian salmon, spinach, and broccoli and cheese soup.

Favorite campus traditions? What resource can’t you live without?
My Blackberry. I seldom use it for work e-mail, but I give my number to all the students and staff that I work with directly so that they can access me at any time if they need anything. I also use it for twitter, g-mail, and as a navigation system. I went to a small Catholic institution with no football team for undergrad and an Ivy League institution for graduate school, so I am still amazed at the fervor and excitement surrounding Big Ten football. From tailgating to roads being shut down to the sea of Illinois paraphernalia in the surrounding community, football season here is a sight to behold.

When was the last time you awoke to a phone call from work in the middle of the night?
Last week. I was the professional staff person on call, and I handled a potential suicide situation. Michael Steven Williams is a resident director at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Who would you like to see featured? Send your suggestions to camille@acuho-i.org.
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Talking Stick - July/August 2010

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