Speaking of... Race

Recently I sponsored an open campus discussion about race. More specifically, it was about Colin Kaepernick, race, the national anthem, and sports. It is an interesting and fascinating topic. Unfortunately, any discussion about this means we are not discussing the original issues: police brutality, disparities in the legal system, and inequitable social structures in education, housing, and schools.

Case in point, Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles is focusing his energy on bail reform. Who knew? Well, not me. It is a difficult and gritty topic. Many of these topics are. And they aren't really accessible to many of us. But we have all likely been to sporting events and absentmindedly stood up during the presentation of the national anthem. It is more habit than tradition.

That said (and acknowledged), the discussion, with heavy support and promotion from the Black Student Union had promise. Indeed, we had wonderful discussions throughout the event. Using continuum exercises ("if you feel this way go to the left, if you feel this way go to the right, or somewhere in-between"). While there was some nuanced disagreement, many at the event felt similarly. But we acknowledged early that we were an "echo chamber" of opinions, mostly agreeing to agree.

We used some of the wonderful Shannon Sharpe piece as a springboard to discussion. It is certainly worth a watch at just under ten minutes. In it, he calls out NFL owners for only paying attention when President Trump attacked their brand. Another video that has gone viral, but that we didn't discuss, is an opinion piece by Dale Hansen. Additionally, people in the discussion cited some of the history of this issue, which is not really a new one.

While free speech and the first amendment have been discussed as key issues with the protests, they really aren't. As a private league, the NFL and its privately owned teams, can set their rules for decorum. This of course clashes with the notion that anyone has a right stifle another's voice. The first amendment is very specific to government not being able to squelch dissent. In the NFL there are issues related to collective bargaining and rules, not really free speech. In our discussion we pondered what would happen if a Trinity football player would take a knee. What if a coach did? Or a dean? What many athletes have done is to show unity with their teammates by locking arms. This is a way to express their ideas: We stand with you, but we aren't taking a knee...

Amid the many excellent commentaries on the topic is another excellent piece is from former NFL player Marvin Washington. In it, he articulates that the issue isn't about patriotism, but is a "distress signal." And this really encapsulated our discussion well. Why do we begin sporting events with the national anthem and not say plays or films in the theater? If it is supposed to be unifying as some might contend, it isn't, as many feel shut out by the promise of the American dream because of institutionalized and accepted racism.

Digging deeper, and most interesting, was the discussion about "sticking to sports" and what that means. On the surface it seems logical: musicians, movie stars, and athletes should entertain us, but not share their political, religious, and social beliefs. Never mind that we crave personal information on our celebrities. And no one complained when J.J. Watt used his platform for hurricane relief. In my favorite piece on this the author states that what people are really saying is "I disagree with you, so shut up." My favorite songwriter, Jackson Browne, regularly hears from critics about his political music as not being as personal as his romantic ballads. He defends this, stating that nothing is more personal than politics. (I totally agree, but his music ballads really are better artistically!)

Last year I wrote a piece about our conservative students and how they have added to the dialog on campus. Some pushed back because they disagree with those students and aren't thrilled with some of their tactics. True, they sometimes seem to see discussion as sport, to be won or lost, rather than as a means to better understanding. And sometimes they don't play at all, or don't play nice when they do. But we could have used them in this discussion. Because without them to have a back-and-forth participants weren't stretched, or pressed, or challenged.

Getting students from the middle to engage is probably the biggest challenge. Many, I would guess, support social justice, the flag, the military, and the song. But without them at the table, the discussions don't go very deep. These talks then, are satisfying but, not rewarding.

As I think about the next discussion, I consider topics that will bring people out, that will engage them in discussion, that will allow for real learning and understanding. (I would love to hear comments here for ideas.) But one thing I know, this isn't the time for anyone to take a knee. As Malcolm Jenkins knows, it's more complicated than that.

Post #300: Shut that guy up!

Me. So small.

In 2014 I wrote a post about My Life as a Blogger. In it, I very humbly highlighted what I thought were my Greatest Hits of blog posts.

So yes, there is of course some ego involved here. But more so, I just think my profession, and my University, serve up excellent material to write about. So here I am, 50 posts and three years later, taking a moment to look back at some of this material. Of course many of the posts are ones I want back. Maybe they aren't really spot on or not in-depth enough, but not every album has all hit songs. Except of course for Greatest Hits records. I enjoyed writing number 300, because it was about family, Trinity, and Higher Education. I know these topics well.

Over the last five years I have grown in terms of my understanding and empathy related to social justice issues, especially related to race. (This bathroom post took a lot of research but I grew from writing it.) I have many on this campus to thank for this, and two former colleagues in particular: Felicia Lee and Raphael Moffett. Of course there are always risks writing about race. I know some people feel that I can't be an effective spokesperson or ally because I am a white man. I simply have to accept that, because it's true. The alternative is to not take risks and stand silently, so I'll take my chances. I have more to say on this topic, so stay tuned in the future.

Of course in today's era, we have had to be very thoughtful and deliberative when our values for freedom of speech and providing a safe campus environment collide. Some of our students have pushed the envelope on this topic and they have kept us on our toes. I got a little push back on this post about our conservative students, with some (who don't know me well at all) thinking I lean more right than left. At the end of the day, I think the headline holds true.

In my work I deal with alcohol, a lot. Of course I have my personal story that I have become more comfortable sharing. I shared it again when Sarah Hepola came to campus. I wanted her to like me better than she did, by the way. But I am very committed to Trinity University having a harm-reduction model and I think we have put our money where our mouth is with the national award winning Optimal Buzz and B'Low Optimal programs.

And topically, I see now that I have done several posts about sexual assault, including two back-to-back. This is a serious campus issue and we work at serving our students with compassion, fairness, and transparency all the time.

There have been a couple posts that have stood up well over time, no matter how brief. I outlined how students can invest in their own experiences and show school spirit - challenging them to be more active than inert. My post on marijuana made the top ten. It was a hit.

But my favorite posts are not the ones about policy or issues. I love to write about people. Unfortunately, some of these posts are about tragedy. I am still haunted by the loss of our young student Corey Byrnes in a car accident a couple years ago. It prompted me to re-visit a fatal crash in 1987, with my own journey as a back drop. That was one of the most difficult, natural, and real posts I have ever written. So was the one on the passing of Dr. Mike Kearl. His death stirred something in me and the campus community. The post about Tiger football and Roy Hampton was rattling around in me for awhile. The TCU comeback laid it all out and it nearly wrote itself.

Of course, from tragedy we find stories of absolute inspiration. I have started writing posts for the holidays and they have features dome incredible stories. The first was about Jennifer Reese and her mom and it still gives me chills. And the story about Dr. Roberts and how he came to Trinity still inspires me.The fantastic attitude and light that is my former colleague Tony Salinas simply amazes.

Dr. Coleen Grissom used to talk about the absurdity we deal with in Student Affairs. I have used it as a mantra in talking about gravity, levity, and absurdity. I wrote about the gravity plenty. But there were a couple of posts that I still delight in for their silliness. When I ran into Dr. Aaron Delwiche at HEB he was in the right place at the right time as I was developing a post about Michael Buble. He was a great sport and the picture of us is perfect. And I enjoyed the post about Ben Gomez because of who he is, but mostly because it took four years to assemble.

Here's hoping I have a chance to write 50 more posts in the years ahead. I could do with a little less tragedy and a bit more joy. To that end, I will conclude with a link to a post about my own college experience and its timelessness.

Thanks for reading.

Inconvenient Truths

Student rights.

I was really pleased to receive an advance copy of John Croxton's op-ed piece in the Trinitonian this week. In it, he challenges the "creeping paternalism" of the University. I think he mostly means me, but that's fine. I love that John reached out to me and we have plans for continuing dialogue. He is being respectful, has some ideas, and we should welcome the exchange of differing opinions at a campus like ours.

Since he is legit, and not a troll, I thought I would give some counter-arguments to some of his points. He interprets the recent increased residence hall security changes as over-reach and cites two other examples to state his case. We did recently restrict access so off-campus students no longer have access to the Trinity University dorms. We learned, through an incident last spring, that upon purging students from the off-campus records, we were missing some when their status was in-between (on leave, for example). There was an incident with one such student led to us of a loophole that needed closing.

So we closed it. I don't feel too badly about it because typically students on campuses ONLY have access to their own dorms. This is because students can more easily identify who should and shouldn't be there so thieves, assailants, and vandals can be identified and dealt with. Because our halls are not traditional, with one main entrance in most cases, we were open, and quite benevolent, in allowing inter-dorm access when card-access was developed. Then, SGA (formerly ASR) wanted off campus students to have access, which was a ridiculous request. But I said to them "find me another school in the country that does this and we will do it too." Well they did. Dammit. So we did it, but I never liked it. (A survey of ACS schools this week confirms that few of these peers allow access by non-residents.)

Hodor

The other two examples cited are our tobacco-free campus and our prohibition on hard liquor. The University has embraced student health and wellness in its strategic plan and even backed that with the hiring of a Health and Wellness Coordinator. The Bell Athletic Center is currently undergoing a $14 million renovation. And there is a cool running group on campus too. Institutionally we are making statements about health and wellness. (We are in favor.) It is in-congruent to allow smoking and associated behaviors. So the ban makes perfect sense and is backed by science. The only compelling reason some students offer in opposition, is they don't want to be told what to do, which is not very scientific. Ironically, students lobbied for condoms in Health Services, the bookstore, and the convenience store because they felt the university needed to support safe sex. SGA is currently pushing for feminine hygiene products in the public area restrooms (which I support). Is this paternalism? Shouldn't individual students be responsible for their own products?

I have explained the hard liquor ban many times, including in this blog. That is a tougher call for me. While it may seem arbitrary, two of our values are pitted against one another: acknowledging students will drink vs. caring deeply about student health and safety. Sometimes you have to choose, and we picked health and safety this time. That John references the 2002 hard liquor ban (it was banned much earlier, but revisited then) puts a new spin on the term "creeping," incidentally.

How we are perceived matters to me. John points out that we do tout our Responsible Friend and B'Low Optimal programs as student friendly and progressive. I like that we are student-centered, and that includes an active SGA, and student boards for campus social and academic violations. We remain one of the few schools now that includes a student voice in Title IX hearings. Students matter here and we take their input all the time.

Students can't have it both ways, however, as noted in the earlier condom example. Nearly all of our decisions begin with campus safety and health. When things go wrong, students (and their parents and their attorneys) will look at Trinity, its policies, and its enforcement of policies to see if we fell short in our obligations. Just this week several parents on the Parent Facebook page raised legitimate concerns about a car theft on campus. They mused about increasing patrols and adding more lighting. They seem in favor of paternalism. There was an expectation, as well, across campus, that we provide crossing guards up at City Vista as we have awaited the activation of the cross-walk. Indeed, the University staff and parents are probably more aligned on these topics than both groups are with students. Students will often view things based on immediate and short-term impact, such as whether or not they have to wait outside of a door of a building they don't live in.

What is more, parents contact us all the time for things their students should, or could, handle on their own. We don't mind, because we like that partnership. And we know that moving from adolescence to adulthood is a process. So we can back off, I suppose, when parents do.

But we have the long view and are unapologetic, because we are not values free. We don't sell pornography or tobacco in the bookstore. We don't allow guns on campus. We don't allow pot regardless of what Colorado permits. We make people live on campus for three years because this matters to us as an institution. We don't allow hazing. We intervene on behalf of campus neighbors when living next to our students becomes unbearable. We recycle. We put nets between the baseball field and the pool deck so sun-bathers don't get hit by home runs from our national championship baseball team. We send students to the drunk tank with cab fare to get back to campus safely. (We are just the WORST.)

Mostly what we do, is try to keep our students safe and healthy. We don't want our students to do shots, or pollute their lungs, or let strangers into their dorms. It can be a lot of work protecting our students from themselves. And while most times we consult with students on most things, sometimes we just have to do what is right. And sometimes we have to say "no." Where some might nitpick and see "moralizing paternalism unfit for a modern university," I simply see us doing our job. Most reasonable people expect no less from us, regardless of how inconvenient that may be.

Fathers, sons, and holy ghosts

Nathan and David Tuttle, Steve and Michael Logan

In 1987 when I interviewed to be an Area Coordinator at Trinity, I was part of the second wave of this newly established position. The needs had evolved for more entry-level live-on positions in campus housing nationwide. As more students lived on campus and as their needs changed the requirement for oversight was increasing. The house-parent model was becoming extinct.

I was vying for a vacant position because two people from the first wave of Area Coordinators, including Steve Logan, were moving elsewhere. Steve was headed to Stanford. I was enamored with the Trinity position because I clicked with the people here and loved the campus and city. (That's a familiar story!) Fortunately I was hired and my life would never be the same. And yet...

Some 30 years later Steve and I have reconnected, though we had been in touch off and on over the years, running in the same professional circles. Steve has ascended through the housing profession at bigger schools, including SMU where he was the Senior Executive Director of Residential Life and Student Housing. He currently holds a similar position at Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, Florida. Poor Steve. I have persisted at Trinity, having had the good fortune to be hired twice and promoted twice by mentor and friend Coleen Grissom. Of course she hired Steve too, way back when.

My new bond with Steve is our sons. Last October young Nathan Tuttle was hired as a Residential Life Coordinator (the former Area Coordinator position) at Trinity. This summer, young Michael Logan joined the team in the same role. We are all the stars of our own movies. Until we have children. I think Steve would concur. The kids are the stars now, and we are both extremely proud of them (and all of our other kids) and are thrilled to have Nathan and Michael at Trinity right where we were three decades ago. (Nathan even lived in the same apartment I started out in.) Trinity was good to us and we have done okay too.

Of course Nathan grew up on this campus. Like me, he has seen the slow pace of change here. Steve got to take a 30 year break and upon his return he has seen the things that have remained constant and the significant changes. The culture here is largely unchanged: the education of our students remains  at the core of our mission. The hands on touch, a hallmark of the "Dean Coleen" era is part of the campus ethos. The campus remains beautiful and there is still a lot of red brick. Conversely, every residence hall has been renovated (at least once) since Steve roamed the halls. The Miller fountain is in a different place, the Bell Center is new and newly renovated, Northrup Hall has been torn down and been resurrected, like a phoenix. The Science Lecture Hall and Cobb-Racey has given way to the Center for Science and Innovation. We own apartments. And students no longer need building keys to gain dorm access, but use their Tiger Cards.

What is more, students no longer say "I pay $14,000 a year to go here, so I deserve..." (By the way, that was roughly my starting salary.) Those really were the days. The price tag now is $56,000 per year. Of course many students receive deep discounts and even full payers are paying roughly one half to two thirds of what it costs to be here.

The changes can be attributed to three things: technology, the arms war among campuses to deliver the best of everything, and human resources. In 1987 technology consisted of black and white TVs, huge stereos, calculators, and a clunky main-frame computer. Now millions go into hardware, software, and WiFi befitting a residential campus.

When prospective students tour campuses they make note of the BEST each school has to offer, and seek a place that combines all of those elements t the highest level. We may have great dorms and a superior science facility, but UT has a more elegant business school. Students and families pay a lot and want the best. Of course the best in academics is a given, and fortunately we deliver in that area across the board. But people want amenities and universities have fallen over themselves to deliver. This is how we ended up with the proverbial rock wall at some colleges -- a symbol of excess to many in an age where many struggle mightily to scrounge up tuition while working and raising kids.

One of the other drivers to higher costs are salaries and the increasing positions across campuses. When Coleen Grissom led a staff retreat in 1987 about 25 people attended. Today, that same area is comprises roughly 45 people. Perhaps we had ghosts doing the work of others back them. Or maybe it was a simpler time. Pete Neville led Student Activities. Now his job is split by a director, a coordinator for Greek Life, and a student organization staff member. One counselor handled a handful of accessibility-related requests. Now two full-time people do so. Likewise, Jeff Powell managed Career Services when I began here. Today roughly eight people do his work.

This is the same all across campus. We had one Athletic Director and several full-time coaches. There were a handful of people in the Alumni and Advancement area and now there re over 30. The same for Admissions. And, faculty salaries have increased and we continue to work feverishly to keep pace with the number of positions and equitable salary.

Of course we didn't have to add these positions. But they were demanded of us. Technology has brought shortcuts but added work (and staffing). Students come to us with needs for more counseling and academic support. The government regulations we face have required additional positions in order for us to be in compliance. And as we benchmark across other campuses we see where we fit in the escalating professionalism of services. Small schools feel it differently too. There are fixed costs to each department and position added.

None of this is a bad thing. But it is misunderstood. While many bemoan the rising costs on one hand, they demand increased services, better facilities, and more amenities. Compare campus food service operations from the two eras and student demand for more, more, and more as a perfect example. This is how we have gotten here. This is our reality. And this is why some schools are losing pace and folding and while others work to offer more to outlast the others.

At Trinity, the day-today working worlds of Michael Logan and Nathan Tuttle are not that different than when their dads were here. Our mission has always been to serve, support, and challenge our students. It is heart-warming to see our legacies continued, especially by our own flesh-and-blood.

But they probably don't notice our ghosts and the ghosts of our former colleagues walking the halls and filling our meeting rooms. Those ghosts... Today they are vastly out-numbered.

Ninth Annual: The Year in Review - 2016-2017

Another academic year is in the rear-view mirror, and as is tradition, I take a look back at the year that was. Rules: I try to think broadly, beyond the Student Life perspective. I have certainly missed some things and invite readers to post on those things in the comment section.

I want to also note that I review the Trinitonian and my own posts to prepare this piece. The Trinitonian does a fantastic job of reporting a LOT all year long.Unfortunately they are having issues with their Web page, but you can see PDFs of various issues on-line.

Top Stories
I rank these mostly by impact and long-term/present-day scope and affect on others.

1. The Trump Presidency 
This may be the first time a national story has hit the top spot on the list. While it isn't exclusively or necessarily local, the impact of the election on campus was unmistakable. The election night viewing party reportedly turned contentious when the surprise result was unfolding. The following day, students, faculty, and staff packed the Tehuacana Room to process what transpired. Emotions ran high and campus conservatives were both emboldened and felt under attack. Many left-leaning students felt their identities were invalidated. For an example of direct impact, the Fair Labor Standards Act, which was slated to shift some campus staff salaries was over-turned and plans for restructured salaries were immediately scrapped.

2a. City Vista
That the City Vista apartment building across the street became available at the same time the University was discussing actually constructing apartments was certainly fortuitous. That we had the right to first refusal, and exercised our option on the units was ground-breaking (without breaking any ground!). This is a huge win for students as we finally can compete with other campuses with apartments. This makes the residency requirement more palatable and creates more wiggle-room for singles on main campus.

2b. Oblate Property
We don't know what it's for, what we will do with it, or if it is use-able because of endangered spiders, but we bought the property off of Shook, across from Thomas as a long-term hedge. This is how the country ended up with Alaska. Who knew then its strategic importance? Count this Trinity purchase as a long-term win!

3. Campus Master Plan
For its tangible, long-term impact, the development of the Campus Master Plan was probably the biggest administrative initiative of the year. The long-term planning will unify elements of campus design, generally respects the original design, and addresses several important issues. The planned renovation of Chapman-Halsell-Library will round out the academic renovations on upper campus, whenever it happens. The residential area will see its own improvements as noted in 2a. above. Finally, in the long-term, exciting changes to the Coates University Center are in their infancy. (This made last year's list as well.)

4. Campus Discourse
This made the list at number five last year. Tigers For Liberty continued to stoke the flames of campus dialogue by pushing the envelope through sponsoring conservative speakers such as Dinesh D'Souza and Ryan Anderson. The election results seemed to embolden the group while deflating other organizations. They ceased on an unfortunate and minor incident related to fliers and made the event a media circus. Our campus hasn't been so engaged, politically, in awhile.

5.Trinity Market comes and goes
The idea of a campus market was well-considered and funded by a grant. It couldn't lose. Everything was done well except it turned out there wasn't a market for the Trinity Market. The venture never gained traction in the community. Perhaps this was due to the competing Pearl Market on the same morning. Maybe some bad weather and a few other breaks kept it from hitting its stride and maintaining momentum. Too bad. This was well done.

6. SGA fails to approve spirit of Greek Council budget request
Full disclosure: I advise Student Government Association with several colleagues. But we didn't see this coming. In a move that seemed opaque and poorly considered, SGA initially voted not to support the spirit of the funding request. This brought tremendous backlash from students and alumni, mostly because it was out of the blue and the reasons weren't clearly articulated. It resulted in some bad blood, resignations, and impeachment proceedings (that didn't carry). As with free speech, the student activity fee is the domain of the students. If there was any doubt, SGA has real authority. This was a learning experience on so many levels for so many students.

7. First Year Experience and Advising
As part of accreditation, the University is required to initiate a Quality Enhancement Plan of its choosing. After consideration of several proposals, the campus leadership settled on developing a proposal to improve the first year experience and advising. Trinity is well-positioned with generally committed faculty advisors as well as a strong FYE course and first-year residence halls. Developing support systems and structures for student success are critical and this effort has great potential. Look for it to be further up the list next year.

8. Speakers
There were some terrific campus-sponsored speakers this year, including astronaut Scott Kelly, Marc Lamont Hill, Nikki Giovanni, Kamau Bell, and David Cameron. The Reading TUgether program kicked off the year when Michael Moss discussed his book Salt, Sugar, Fat.

9. Tobacco-free Campus
Momentum was building to eliminate tobacco and smoke from campus environs for years. It is becoming unusual for campuses to not be designated this way as the science behind the importance of a smoke and tobacco-free environment is undeniable. While the University seemed to shove this down people's lungs, it had to. The only reason opponents could cite to NOT go this direction was because they didn't want to be told what to do or not. There is so much more compelling information on the other side.

10. B-Cycle
This makes the list if for no other reason that it took SGA Presidents Evan Lewis, Sean McCutchen, and Brenna Hill years to bring B-Cycle to campus. Current SGA President Nick Santulli got elected and within a month the program was approved. It was Ronald Reagan and the Iran hostage crisis all over again (Google it). Added to Zipcar and Uber, this makes it very easy for our students to get off campus.

Hits
- Trinity University Best in West for 25 years and other accolades: We're so great!
- Fraternities and sororities: Exceptional response and professional conduct following SGA Greek Council action. 
- Safer Party Initiative (SPIn) and TiPS alcohol training: Despite glitches, students are starting to take their role in creating campus climate seriously.
- SGA President Nick Santulli's leadership and communication through the SGA and Greek Council issues.
- New conduct model: Discussion panels assessed as more fair, which makes student learning and accountability more likely. (Disclosure, this is an initiative from Dean of Students Office).
- Mayoral forum on campus
- Sky Rides
- 3Lau, I suppose...
- Standing item: Acabellas and Trinitones

Misses
- SGA swearing-in. Look what it wrought...
- Pet Hall (grrrr)
- Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease
- Tornado. BARELY a miss.
- Spiders
- Blindfolds
- The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and city announced a route change to eliminate the hills near campus (yay!) but now the route will bypass Trinity (hiss...).

Under the Radar
- Club Rio closes. Good riddance.
- Optimal Buzz and B'Low Optimal programs win national NASPA Excellence Award.

Big Hurts
- Our obituary page reflects the losses of former faculty and staff members.
- The German Fulbright students. Seeing our students send them off was sad. They really connected!

On the Horizon
- Still... Bell Center renovations are underway.
- Academic Success Center in the library. The plans are wonderful!
- Don't look now, but 150th anniversary is just around the corner and so is a capital campaign.

Archives 
Year 8
Year 7
Year 6
Year 5
Year 4
Year 3
Year 2
Year 1

Bonus tracks
In case you missed it, here are the topics I got to write about this year. Trinity is rich with material:

It's a Draw
Ben's Hood
Rent Due
To pee or not to pee...
Sticks and Stones
We bought that?
Rain and Shine
Mind Over Matter
Reboot: Tony the Tiger
Raw Cuts
Push-up Blahs
Good Fellas
Hard Liquor
Spirit Searching

It's a Draw

I am very excited that December will mark the 10th Annual Dean of Students Half Marathon Challenge and Kayla Mire Food Drive. This has been an important program to me, having trained with nearly 500 runners to run the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. I get a lot out of spending lots of time with dedicated runners who pursue this milestone. For the 10th Annual program I want to have a special shirt for those who sign-up and run. I thought a caricature would be appropriate for the publicity and the shirt. Until I had someone draw me. I was told the image made me look meaner than I am, apparently. So, like getting a second opinion, I had another artist do another one.

I don't think there are enough artists in San Antonio to fully satisfy me. I have faced the possibility that in addition to be not being photogenic, I may just be a poor candidate for a caricature. I think you can see where this is leading. Ouch. So, I will leave it to the people. Please view the images below and vote for Image 1 or Image 2 on the poll at right.

IMAGE 1

IMAGE 2

Ben's Hood

With Ben Gomez '17 at an SGA meeting

I met local Central Catholic graduate, Ben Gomez, at an EZ's restaurant (branch since closed) four years ago, just prior to his attending Trinity University. We hugged. I don't know why, or who initiated it, but I think it was me. He just looked like a sweet, funny, goofy, hugger. We were both there because my daughter -- and his little sister -- are friends. I knew Ben would be coming to Trinity, and I was genuinely excited to meet him. 

For some reason (maybe because I know his parents and wanted to give the illusion to Ben that I was watching him), I started snapping pictures of Ben every time I saw him. I'm not sure he ever asked why, or if I knew why, or if I ever told him why. Oddly, he never questioned it, though I had some explaining to do with my wife, recently, when she was scrolling through my photos. It became clear early on that, like the movie, Boyhood, I would do real-time chronicling of Ben Gomez for his four years at Trinity University. And this post would be the result.

I didn't know how this project would turn out, but now I can see that he was the perfect subject. Ben Gomez has been a star at Trinity. He has been involved in the following groups: Tiger TV, KRTU 91.7, Student Program Board, Student Government Association, Trinity Distinguished Representatives, Ambassadors, and the Omega Phi fraternity. For his efforts, Ben was recognized as an Emerging Student Leader in 2015 and won a Presidential Excellence Award in 2017, both honors as part of the annual Student Leadership Awards. More than that, though, everybody loves Ben. He is always in a good mood, has a can-do attitude, and is a strong student.

Two of Ben's most transformative experiences were studying abroad and meeting his girlfriend Andrea. They met in their first semester in November, 2013. Ben, ever laid-back, says they don't remember how they actually met, but reports they went to a Sigma Crush Date Party, and have been together ever since. Maybe they spontaneously hugged. Additionally, they studied abroad together in Prague, and were actually visiting Paris during the terrorist attacks there. It was a surreal, eye-opening experience for them.

Ben wasn't even going to look at Trinity, but his mom, Lizette, an alumna made a last-ditch effort to have him visit campus for a Trinity 360 Admissions program the spring of his high school senior year. He had been set on TCU or SMU, but when he came to campus he immediately connected with faculty and staff and was awed by the Tiger TV and KRTU 91.7 FM facilities, and the opportunities they offered. He received a private tour and fell in love with Trinity. 

Ben has parlayed his passion for entertainment by designing his own major, Entertainment Business, in addition to his Business major in Marketing and Management. He combined studies across Business, Psychology, Drama, Communication, and Entrepreneurship to forge a unique academic path. Outside the classroom, was able to work with national talent agents when planning various concerts for the Student Programming Board and KRTU 91.7 FM. Through these endeavors, Ben was able to network and eventually land a job with United Talent Agency (UTA) in Beverly Hills. Starting September, Ben will begin work at UTA as an Agent Trainee in concerts, comedy, film, and literary areas. Until then, Ben will spend the summer traveling to various music festivals, such as Bonaroo, as a Field Operations Contractor for Front Gate tickets.

Ben believes he landed these positions because he had access "to everything" at Trinity. This included planning major and smaller concerts and working with radio station events on campus. Ben is most proud of bringing T-Pain and Cherub to campus. Cherub performed at a new spring concert event and Ben had to pitch it to his old friends in student government. They never had a chance. 

When I started to chronicle Ben's experience here, I thought I would see an Obama-esque physical transformation with at least SOME aging. His face, his expression, his hair, and his weight haven't changed a bit. Neither has Ben. He is hard-pressed to say how he is different, aside from the many opportunities he seized here. See for yourself: Check out the slideshow I've included.

While we love to promote how our students Discover, Grow, and Become, sometimes they land here pretty well developed. That was Ben Gomez. He leaves Trinity, very much the same kid I met at EZ's four years ago.And Trinity has embraced him.


Slideshow production credit Megan Kruse.

Rent Due - City Vista Rates Published

Editor's note: This is a follow-up to an earlier post about the City Vista property.

The rents for the new City Vista apartment complex have been distributed to students. Setting these rates has been a gargantuan task for a number of staff members. In early January campus apartments were a mere item on a crowded campus wish list. That changed when this luxury apartment complex became available and the University seized the opportunity to make the purchase.

The challenges in setting rent have been the following:
- identifying rates that reflect the true value of the apartment units
- setting rates that are competitive with other nearby apartment complexes
- finding prices that aren't out-of-balance with current main-campus dorm rates

Additionally, students should note that meal plans are not required in the apartments.

Students can rent units at costs ranging from $4,500 per semester up to $7,875. The lower rate is for students living two to a bedroom in a three bedroom apartment and is in the ballpark of traditional dorm costs. The higher rate is for one person in a one-person bedroom.

Some of us have taken to determining setting the final rents as finding the "sweet-spot." Time will tell if we hit it, but here are some factors for students and their families to consider related to the value of living at City Vista.

There are many amenity related benefits included in the rent:
- kitchens in all units
- washers and dryers in all units
- light furnishings including beds
- utilities (water, heat/ac, electricity)
- internet
- cable
- parking

Additionally, these harder to quantify benefits are noteworthy:
- proximity to campus
- ease of comprehensive billing
- financial aid compatibility
- campus security
- flexible 10-12 month terms
- ease of move-in with services already set up
- private pool

The property offers students, particularly seniors, an excellent value and housing option. When considering the rent, hopefully students will consider all of these factors in evaluating the true benefits and value of being among the first group of students to live on this terrific campus property.

To pee, or not to pee...

I used an all-gender multi-user restroom. And I liked it. It was this past January in Jacksonville at the annual ASCA student conduct conference. It seemed odd to me that the schedule even noted when the all-gender restroom would be open. Student Affairs as a profession has a very wide tent and is uber-inclusive. So it makes sense that publicizing pee times is important.

The backdrop for all of this is the North Carolina bathroom bill passed in 2016. Essentially, the law holds people to their gender designation as noted at birth. There are immediate problems for those who were born with ambiguous genitalia (one form of intersex condition) and have to make decisions about where they should go. Nevertheless, the main objections come from those who are transgender. For some trans-persons, their sex assigned at birth as recorded on their birth certificate does not sync with their gender identity -- their internal experience of being a man or woman. For other trans-person, their gender identity is non-binary, neither exclusively woman nor man. A person with a penis, but identifying as female in all other ways has to use the men's room under this bill.So too would trans-persons, who have received one or more gender confirmation surgeries. And so too would non-binary trans-persons.

Many find this bill discriminatory, which is why Texas probably decided to consider its own version. SB6 is now working its way through legislation in Texas, despite much resistance. At issue with these laws is that they work to address something that isn't broken, and they discriminate against transgender individuals. Choosing a bathroom where one is comfortable is important. For example, biological males who identify as female are often more comfortable using the women's room. I think I would be.

In my case, in Jacksonville, the stakes were pretty low. I have bathroom privilege and don't have to face these issues. But I wanted to try. The first time I went in no one was in there. I had the joint to myself. The second time, as I was washing my hands... afterwards... a young African-American woman came out of a stall and did the same. She didn't seem to notice me. Which is not uncommon. And so it went. It was kind of liberating.

Then, this week, I continued my new bathroom obsession, using an all-gender multi-user restroom at the NASPA professional conference in San Antonio. Mostly, it was because it was the closest one. There were many women in this restroom, and again, no one seemed to notice or care that I was there. I was getting the hang of it. 

Now, these are big steps for me. As an aging 57 year-old, things aren't as smooth as they once were. I am generally not comfortable peeing in front of anyone - especially young college men whose flow is... not encumbered by encroaching prostates.

Those who are pushing the Texas bill and the one enacted in North Carolina say it is about safety for women and girls. The fear is that a man will go into a women's room and become violent or act out in a predatory manner. But this argument has many flaws. Most sexual violence occurs between parties who know one another and there is little evidence that men have or will dress as women or transgender people, enter public restrooms, and commit crimes. (In fact, nothing stops men now from dressing as women to go into "women's" bathrooms.) More importantly, the legislation does nothing to protect transgender people from violence in public restrooms, a much more likely outcome, especially in the "men's" room.

And yet, the other side claims to have at least anecdotal evidence that this kind of legislation is important. For many, sex, sexuality, and gender are all connected. Men and boys should be in one set of bathrooms and women and girls in another. But why? Socialization is probably the main reason. There is really no reason that I should only feel comfortable going into a public restroom with President Anderson, my father-in-law (proud stall man), students, or strange men, let's say. What's the difference between that and stalling next to my colleague Melissa Flowers, my wife, or my administrative assistant, Yvonne? Nothing, really. I suspect that most of the people who support this type of legislation are older people who, like me, are simply not completely comfortable with all of this, though I'm getting there. But we all need to get comfortable, because it's not about us.

All of this has risen to the high courts recently when Gavin Grimm pursued his case legally on these same issues. The Supreme Court remanded the case to a District Court and it is pending. The current administration appears to favor the legislation as it rolls back Obama-era guidance on discrimination.

That guidance is primarily aimed at K-12 schools. Private universities like Trinity can set their own non-discrimination policies and gender discrimination is not permitted on campus. Transgender students may use campus restrooms of choice. But some of my forward-thinking colleagues have set out to identify all gender single-user campus restrooms for those seeking privacy. Of course students, employees, and guests aren't required to use these, but new signs will soon designate such spaces in CSI, the library, Northrup Hall, the Chapel, and several places on lower campus.

The Texas and North Carolina laws are facing major resistance as companies and organizations have withdrawn businesses, events, and conferences from those states. San Antonio could lose a Final Four if the Texas law is adopted. Most see these laws for what they are: ways to further marginalize and discriminate against those who are "not like the others." It is about far more than bathrooms.  People like me can pop in and out of various restrooms, and this issue, as we wish to try it on. But others have to grapple with this every single time they are in public places. They have no choice, but to be.

In addition to just generally caring about others and an inclusive world, we should be concerned as a Texas campus as we try to recruit students from out-of-state. As our growing transgender population is increasingly public about their presence and needs, we need to make sure they know they belong here. Even in our restrooms.
 

Note: Special thanks to my colleague Richard Reams, in Counseling Services, for his assistance in educating me, editing this post, and as is often the case, saving me from myself.

Sticks and Stones and Tigers For Liberty

Life of Wendts.

When Manfred and Jonah Wendt came to Trinity University in the fall of 2015 I'm not sure we knew what we were getting. We knew the twins would be a magnitude of two, but the seismic ripples they have created in student culture are exponentially higher. Those Wendt twins quickly connected with other right-wing, conservative students. And they started making noise.

We should thank them.

As I have written a number of times, I fully support free speech on college campuses. Ideas, even outlandish and kooky ones, are simply ideas. In order to avoid echo chambers of one-dimensional thought, students need others to push back on their ideas. Eventually, one-sided discussions from the left or right are not educational nor instructive.

Of course campuses are not values free. Most, if not all, espouse values of civility and respect. While campus climates should foster a variety of ideas they are under no obligation to bring in outside speakers who use our students to espouse or incite hate and violence. We would never allow a KKK rally on campus nor an Anti-Semitic speaker. We get to choose who speaks here, or not. But for the most part, we need to foster conversations and allow speakers with whom we disagree. Someone's presence generally can't really be "harmful." More likely, it is uncomfortable at best, and offensive at worst.

Students also have a choice. They can protest or they can boycott a speaker to undercut that person's legitimacy. Or, they can turn out en masse to challenge and outwit that person. One excellent example of this was the speaker, Ryan Anderson. No not that Ryan Anderson. No, that one either. This Ryan Anderson. Reportedly our rainbow-clad students came out in droves to argue, challenge, and disavow his facts and opinions on GLBTQ issues. THAT is what college is about. No speaker, no push-back. No push-back, no democracy.

It is happening again as Tigers for Liberty is sponsoring Dinesh D'Souza, who comes with his own baggage. But his message is connecting with some of our students. Others are raising issues, again, about whether or not we should allow this speaker. Just asking the question - to other students and to administrators - is an educational experience. Does the presence of a speaker mean the University endorses that speaker? If so, we would have few of interest. We had Michael Moore here once. We had Margaret Thatcher, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, Marc Lamont Hill, Tim Wise, and Colin Powell too. Who is palatable to have and who isn't? We have speakers with strong opinions related to Palestine and Israel. This often rankles people who view the other side with deep distrust.

Deciding what to do about the speaker is another educational opportunity. Thanks to Tigers For Liberty, there are additional opportunities to learn. Is that group being used by off-campus groups, like Young America's Foundation? Is student government funding appropriate? Are they funding various viewpoints?

While we have had other conservative groups in the past, such as College Republicans, no group has gotten as much traction and attention as Tigers for Liberty. The Wendts and their group have a knack for offending. It's not just their views. Sometimes their event planning is sloppy. Sometimes they can be tone-deaf. And even they can't really believe having Milo to campus last year was a good idea. (Yes, that Milo... that one... yup, that one.)

Life would be simpler without Tigers For Liberty. I mean, it was. Many would say it was better. But what they deliver is an organization for others to push against, and challenge, and practice with. Our students need these educational experiences to prepare for life after Trinity. And conservative students have every right to be here. They work to keep the community honest by offering alternative viewpoints to a left-leaning environment.

Like many of our students, they bring their own charm. They are bright, witty, self-deprecating, and thoughtful. Not to mention brave. They have their own legitimate issues with how they are treated on campus too. It isn't easy speaking up sometimes. But that's what college discourse is all about. It isn't about free-speech zones (should be the whole campus), time-place-and-manner policies, hate-speech codes, and safe spaces. The last thing we need is to keep driving hate into the shadows. When we do, it doesn't go away. It just hides.

The best way to oppose ideas and words are with other ideas and words. And the best way to do that is to practice, especially with worthy adversaries. Thanks to Tigers for Liberty students now have them. NOW we're talking. And we should be.

Related.

First impressions: We bought that?

The Mansion on the Hill.

I'm not going to bury the lead here: We bought that? We bought the City Vista apartments just on the north campus border? Are you kidding me? This is the best non-academic news Trinity students have received since the residency requirement jumped from two to three years in the eighties. The 1980's.

There is so much to love about this because it is a bonanza for our students. I am surprised that some students are skeptical, as quoted in the Trinitonian article about this. More on that later.

As someone who has advised student government since 1994 I can tell you that the three-year requirement is routinely raised as an issue by students. I have personally lobbied for a two-year requirement. Our reasons have been different though. As I have toured other campuses it has become increasingly evident that apartment-style living should be offered to our students. Our Board of Trustees and administration has been steadfast. They believe in the ethos of a residential campus and have not wavered. One Board member told me it would be more palatable to build apartments than change the requirement. He wasn't lying.

It is difficult enough to have a three-year requirement, but when the housing options are generally limited to suite style then we are expecting students to live with roommates and meal plans beyond what they would like or can stand.

This has been clear to students for some time and it finally became evident as the recent master planning process unfolded. One of the key recommendations: apartments for older junior and senior students. One of the first questions then, was where? While various options and timelines were tentatively bandied about, there were often drawbacks.

There are no drawbacks to the City Vista apartments.
- They are ready for occupancy this fall. Two days ago we had no apartments and in six weeks students will sign up to live in some incredible spaces.
- They are off-campus but on campus. This will give students a sense of freedom from campus but proximity to events, friends, and facilities. Many students over the years have aid they would love to stay on campus but they want to cook their own meals and have their own bedrooms.
- Students who don't want to live in student apartment housing don't have to. They still have choices elsewhere in town.
- No one has talked yet about the long-term ripple effect. These apartments will likely create more space in our current residence halls for more single rooms for juniors who aren't interested in the apartments.
- We are now competitive in the housing market with other institutions. We have outstanding apartment options that our current and new students can look to as they see their future here.

Some of the early criticisms (see aforementioned article) are vexing. Some students have expressed concerns that seem incongruent. On the one hand they don't want Trinity University to be intrusive and manage the apartments as residences, while on the other they don't trust students to take care of these apartments and not be disruptive to others.

I ask those students to keep open minds about this and use our current program to inform our thoughtful approach. We have designed our junior and senior housing to allow for more autonomy. Instead of Resident Assistants or Resident Mentors we employ Hall Managers at a ratio of about one staff member to 100 residents. They are trained to mostly be hands-off on conduct issues (except for blatant violations) and building community is not emphasized as much as in the first year area and Sophomore College as we know that many have their own networks already.

Of course there are many questions yet to be answered about management, pricing, oversight, and staffing. Give us a chance. So many campuses manage and maintain apartments effectively that I have no doubt that the outstanding leadership and staff in Residential Life and across campus will figure this out. Work with them and through student government to help set this up for success.

We bought that? How awesome! This has brought years of student, staff, and board conversation to fruition. For whatever reason, fate dropped this opportunity and this facility at our door step. Kudos to the board and the administration to act on this. It was a bold move. It is good for our campus and great for our students. We bought that. You should too.

Take the poll (upper right)with your thoughts.