The new residence halls impact the PHE and RA positions and application process
By Jessie Hethcoat
The additions of Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls on campus for the 2009-2010 academic year are not the only changes for Residence Life. The Peer Health Education program will be taking a new approach for student health education, and Residence Life will have to choose from a new record number of applicants for Residence Assistance.
University of Portland's Health Center announced that PHEs will move from the dorms into an apartment in University Village. PHEs are student representatives of both the Health Center and its services.
"They are educators and programmers who work together to increase health knowledge and awareness across campus," Health Center Counselor Kristina Houck said.
In each traditional residence hall, PHEs work to coordinate inter-dorm events and displays. Additionally, the entire team of PHEs is responsible for holding one campus wide event, such as this year's blood drive.
For the last 15 years, there has been one PHE in each dorm, with two in Mehling Hall because of its size. PHEs now live in the halls that they serve and are available to point students who need medical assistance in the right direction.
As part of the reformatting of the PHE system, the new PHEs will be enrolled in a one-credit course, Holistic Health Education and Promotion. The course will be taught as a series of presentations from various UP faculty members. Just as PHEs did this year, they will also have a week of training in August and weekly staff meetings.
Education professor Karen Eifler is one of the PHE board members who recognized the success that the Faith and Leadership House has shown, such as the events that they have helped coordinate. The Peer Health Educator House will be one of a few themed academic housing options for next year, modeling some of the curriculum and guidelines from the Faith and Leadership House.
"Living together, the Faith and Leadership House draws strength from each other to take their message to the road," Eifler said. "It is our hope that the PHE House will do the same.
Peer Health Education is a paid campus job at UP. As their pay, PHEs will live in the University Village for the price of living in a traditional hall. They will also receive checks for one-quarter of room and board expenses.
PHEs are also not limited to majors within the realm of health, such as nursing or pre-med. Ideally, the team of PHEs will have a wide breadth of knowledge and skills.
"Because it is about holistic health, we would love diversity in majors. It spans from mental, physical and spiritual," Houck said
For 2009-2010, Houck is aiming for nine PHEs. There will be mini-teams of educators in each quad, and one PHE per dorm. There will be two PHEs in Mehling Hall. Additionally, PHEs are needed in Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls and in the University Village.
The PHEs will now be available by e-mail and visible on campus. Although they are no longer living in the dorms, Houck assures that they are still accessible.
"Through living and working together, students have a unique opportunity to develop effective communication, collaboration and conflict resolution skills that will enhance their leadership and enrich their lives, whatever their chosen profession," said Joanne Warner, the dean of UP's School of Nursing.
Sophomore PHE Erica Swanson is also excited about the change.
"The pros far outweigh the cons here," Swanson said. "It will be really great to have the PHEs work together, bringing them to their full potential."
As far as Katie Cashman, director of Kenna Hall, is concerned, displacing PHEs from the dorms will not impact their actual dorm presence.
"We're going to miss our PHE, but right now all the PHEs are really underused," Cashman said. "This way, they'll all be in the same place; and they will still be accessible."
Residence Life's leadership opportunities seem to be doing quite well, when taking into consideration that this year they received a record number of applications for RA.
The large number of applicants for RA is a great sign, especially now that they are in need of eight additional RAs for the new halls.
"It's a great problem to have," Cashman said. "Of all the years to have the largest applicant pool, this is really ideal."
There is also a substantially large number of RAs that are reapplying next year. According to Cashman, this helps in the process of applying but gives no guarantee to become an RA.
"It helps to have experience as an RA and we know how the applicant works," Cashman said. "However, most of the people that are applying for RA are also visible on campus, so we know how they work as well."
Other opportunities for leadership at UP can be found at http://www.up.edu/leadership. Application materials are due by March 17.
