Talking Stick - January/February 2014 - 56

SNAPSHOT

MICHEAL K. SERAPHIN
What's the biggest issue for the students on your campus
right now?
Our students are dealing with a lot of issues - things like feeling safe
in their community to issues of attending a small, private, liberal
arts university and how that will benefit them in their future. It is
hard to say that there is a single issue for our students because they
come from so many different places; aside from the ones mentioned,
it can be hard to narrow down one singular issue.

What's the biggest issue you see facing the profession right
now?
There are a couple of things as I see them - the 24-hour accessibility
and managing that with a healthy work-life balance. Also, so many
of our campuses are doing great things, and I worry about it being
this type of one-upmanship going on. I know that drawing students
and issues around technology drives a lot of what we do and where
we go, but I worry that the divide of the haves versus the have-nots
(among our institutions) is getting larger.

What makes your campus unique?

MICHEAL K. SERAPHIN
is the coordinator
of purchasing and
associate director of
residential services at
Willamette University in
Salem, Oregon.
What qualities do you
think are important in a
housing professional?
Flexibility, extreme flexibility,
and a willingness to change
the way things have always
been done, even if they were
just changed within the last
year. But fairness is just as
important. Some people may
say fairness and flexibility
are incompatible, but I
would disagree.

56

TALKING STICK

So many things are great selling points for Willamette. Among other
things, the location, being directly across the street from the Capitol,
offers our students such a unique experience, so many of them will
intern for legislators or for offices, campaigns, etc., something I don't
think a lot of other students get without having to leave school. Also,
for our students, come graduation, easily 35-40 percent of them
will have gone and done some kind of study abroad program, be it
for the summer, a semester, or even a year. We also have a strong
partnership with Tokyo International University where each year at
least 120 of their students will come to Willamette to study and live
from February to December.

When was the last time you awoke to a phone call from
work in the middle of the night?
It was maybe 2-3 weeks ago; we had some heavy rains, and that
led to some water issues in one of the halls. Being in the Pacific
Northwest, where we have a long rainy season, issues that are a
result of rain are never a good thing.

What are you doing when you're not on the job?
I like to read, nonfiction. I am a huge politics, finance, and current
events junkie, so I try to make sure I know what is going on in the
world and around me. I also like to run - it helps clear my mind,
reinvigorates me, and helps me de-stress from a hard day. I enjoy
wine and contribute to a wine blog with other professionals who
work at universities (www.westtoast.com).
http://www.westtoast.com
Talking Stick - January/February 2014

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