What is a GHD?

"My favorite part of the job is creating an environment where the staff and students feel comfortable being themselves and I think we're getting there, it's all I care about." When I met Jane at the Commons for our interview she told me that creating an environment where people are comfortable being themselves it is her favorite part of being a GHD. Her job usually doesn't involve meeting students to help them on their papers but she made an exception for me. Jane is about 5'10 with brown hair and brown eyes, she always seems in a very jovial disposition. What is a GHD? GHD is an acronym for a Graduate Hall Director it's part of the college of student affairs.

Accentually her job is to supervise her residence hall and the staff of community assistants (CA's), trying to resolve any roommate conflicts that might come up, she's also in charge of room changes and making sure the CA's get any new training that is required. Basically, she has to try and keep her residence hall running. Jane has to have at least 20 office hours a week and hold at least one meeting with her community assistants. She also has other administrative duties that would make my list drag on too much. "It's immensely important to try to look and be positive so the CA's are positive even though I might be having a bad day." Jane told me that her attitude has an extraordinary impact on her community assistants it inspires them even if they are in a bad mood or having a bad day. She heard about being a GHD while she was an undergrad "But after 2 years of being a CA I was burned out and didn't want to continue school after I graduated." After Jane was out of school of two years a former supervisor of hers reached out and "put the bug in my ear." Her decision to come back was a little last minute she told me. Jane had to apply twice once as a GHD and a second time as a graduate student. For her to apply to be a GHD she had to write a few essays. The demanding nature of a full-time student and her duties as a GHD can put constraints on anything Jane wants to do outside of college. She told me it feels like having two full-time jobs. When asked about the preconceptions about her job she told me that there's a lot of preconception that surrounds her job. There are two major preconceptions she told me about. One of them are from a student's perspective they think she's an authoritarian figure when she really cannot punish you, she might report you but that's the extent of her what she can do in that aspect. "people think I'm here to be the police, but really I'm more of like a big sister that holds people responsible." the second of the preconceptions mostly comes from other graduate students that that think some of the GHD's only do it because the school pays their tuition for them taking the job of a GHD. We do have to pay for our own books and things she said. "but compared to the amount of work we do its actually not a lot of money as you would get from a normal job." Also, Jane said they cannot leave the campus easily they have to get someone to cover for them if she of any other GHD wanted to go home leave. "It's not like any other job where you work your hours and then you can go." Jane is pretty much stuck here unless she can get someone to cover for her. After we finish our lunch we went to her office.

Cabinets where she keeps her supplies for activities.

office when you first walk in.

The first thing you will notice when you walk in to her office like many offices in residence halls hers is not much different. The room is a brightly lighted large square with dull gray painted walls made of cinderblocks. Her enormous L shaped desk toward the left end corner. On the desk there are an abundance of papers on her desk and the usual things you find on an office desk. The only thing the stuck me as out of place was her old phone that still had a cord and looks almost as old as I am. You will also see in front and to the right of the desk are two very comfortable small couches with leaf patterns on them. that you sink into when you sit down to the point that it's hard to get up. On the walls are pictures of her friends and family and the two calendars. On the right side of the office are two Enormous wooden cabinets. One is full of thing for activities. Thing like string, glue, markers, puffy paint,and a bunch of other various thinks needed for their buildings activities. The other one is for administrative papers. The three small plastic containers have colored papers for their activities. Also, the sound of calming music can be heard when someone walks in and sits down. She said it makes the students more comfortable and relaxed if they have a problem. what people may also have noticed that her office is in close proximity to the front entrance people can hear the door loudly opening and closing all the time. I asked her if it bothered her and she said at first. Besides that, it's usually dead quiet. Also, the only thing anyone can smell if the windows are open is the Scranton Commons.

The meetings with Jane and her CA's are held on every Tuesday night. As Jane walks though the double doors into the study lounge they use for a meeting place. She sees the CA's already have arrived, and have moved the various types of chairs in the room into a large circle. The room has wood panels a quarter of the way up the wall and white paint covering the rest. When she sits down Jane hands out some packets she typed out with a list of upcoming events and activities pertaining to her residence hall, and highlighted the most important ones. The CA's all seemed very comfortable being themselves at the meeting making jokes and saying what they thought. After she explains each topic thoroughly Jane asks the CA's what they think and if they have any ideas for future activities. Toward the end of the meeting Jane and the CA's talk about various thing about the residence hall and ask Jane about participating in activates and their desk hours. When the meeting is over they get up and put the chair back into place and leave. until next week.