Talking Stick - May/June 2018 - 42

one small community. The hope is that
people clustered together in a shared
living situation can forge supportive
connections and learn from each
other's differences. Many Generation Z students are coming to college
with much more exposure to diversity
than previous students had. They have
been deemed the most racially diverse
generation in U.S. history and have
the most diverse social circles of any
previous generation. In considering
diversity programs, it's important to
note that many members of this generation see diversity not as something
to be regulated, managed, sought out,
or programmed around but rather as
"who we are."

While a good number of Generation Z students are pretty comfortable
with people who are different from
them, some do lack knowledge of
or exposure to diversity, so there is
certainly a need to continue diversity
programming to some extent, especially around identities not frequently
discussed. However, for many in
Generation Z, creating a more inclusive, equitable, and socially just world
seems to be of greater interest. In both
of our studies, many Generation Z students expressed frustration with and
exasperation about why oppression,
discrimination, and prejudice still
exist. The common sentiment among
many of them is that we as a society
should have eradicated injustice a long
time ago. They want change, and they
are willing to take action to make that
change happen. Beyond educational
programming on diversity, it might be
useful to offer opportunities for handson advocacy work through projectbased and experiential learning.

What are most likely to be Generation Z's biggest questions or
concerns about college? How
can housing departments best
answer or assist them?

TALKING STICK

Social media
emphasizes the
positive so much
that students don't
have as many skills
communicating
the full range
of emotions in
relationships.
Social media also
encourages shallow
relationships
rather than deep
ones. I think the
best cure for this is
more face-to-face
interaction, where
deep emotional
connections are
much more likely to
happen.

A question that continues to come up
with Generation Z students is "What
is the value of a college degree today,
especially given its price tag?" These
students are coming to college where
tuition costs are at a record high, and
their college degree might not even
be relevant in the fast-paced world of
technology by the time they graduate.
Those of us in higher education need
to convince them that college is a good
investment, but that is a hard sell with
so many competing opportunities

like entrepreneurship, apprenticeship
programs, and free online courses in
just about any subject. If we can share
with them the value of college and get
them to enroll, we are in a good place.
Right?

Here's the catch for housing
professionals. Unless you have a
mandatory live-in requirement, you
may end up facing some stiff competition - students living at home for free.
More students are now attending local
public institutions to save on tuition,
and the option to commute from home
to save even more money is highly appealing. Add to that, many of them see
their parents as role models, mentors,
and advisors, so the idea of living at
home might not seem like a bad idea.
However, as a former residence life
professional, I know and truly believe
that living on campus provides an
unparalleled opportunity for students.

What are the benefits of on-campus living that resonate with Generation Z students? One is that they
receive so much support by living on
campus - social events, tutoring or
academic services, and even access to
an RA - and these resources can help
them succeed in college. As this is a
generation stressed out and worried
about failure, having a strong support
system in place can make the difference between graduating and not. In
addition, many in Generation Z aim
to make a difference for others, so
promoting involvement opportunities like hall council, residence hall
association, and the RA position
could be incredibly appealing if they
were positioned in a way that those in
Generation Z could see that these are
not just good leadership experiences
that help them build connections, but
these roles are critical in impacting
others' college experiences.

While it's important to know what
matters to Generation Z students in
terms of living on campus, what many

Talking Stick - May/June 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - May/June 2018