The Latest News from RecRe

The University of South Alabama (USA) grappled with the question of how best to manage rental inventory for years. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, creating student engagement opportunities in the residence hall was a priority.

Outside academic buildings, residence halls, and offices, there aren’t many spaces on campus students can call their own. There may be small-group study spaces and lounges in academic buildings, and residence halls may offer programming and intimate settings for community growth, but students need a place on campus where they can gather, host organizational meetings, and enjoy entertainment and other recreational activities.

As a Residence Life professional, you play a crucial role in shaping a student’s college experience beyond the classroom. Residence halls offer more than just student housing; they provide opportunities for holistic development through Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) and their ability to offer growth opportunities right outside their door.

Coming out of the pandemic, Housing Operations at the University of Cincinnati (UC) faced a few significant challenges. Although their service centers (front desks in residence halls staffed by student employees) offered a range of rental equipment to students, they struggled with ways to handle accountability.

Are we witnessing a subtle, yet significant shift in the dynamics of campus engagement? In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, student union professionals have observed a striking trend: a...

Boise State University, like many other universities, faced significant challenges in managing its Student Recreation Center’s inventory. Issues such as equipment loss, damage, and accountability problems not only hindered operational efficiency but also led to staffing difficulties and increased student turnover.

Trash mountain: an annual concern for residence life officials. As the end of the academic year approaches, so does the inevitable surge in waste as students vacate their residence halls for summer break or graduation. While trash and recyclables constitute the majority of move-out waste, the issue is further compounded by the disposal of still-usable items such as appliances, electronic devices, entertainment systems, and room-care items.

Inventory management issues are increasingly common among Campus Recreation departments. The exact best practices on how to rent out inventory to students, collect collateral, and maintain inventory quality are still up for debate. With every university’s Campus Rec department following either somewhat similar or entirely different practices from one another, there appears to be no one-size fits all solution. Or is there?

As 2024 kicks into gear, we wanted to take a moment to reflect back on all that we achieved last year. Take a look at our year-end video to see...