Each month, I’m tasked with coming up with new ways to display a controversial or thought-provoking topics. My favorite way to do so is through bulletin boards: a form of passive programming that encourages residents to think and communicate with each other about what they see. I tackled a number of topics over the course of the semester, and am providing a longer summary of my thought processes.
September 2015
Fall 2015: This board gives a more in-depth definition of “consent” and provides information on Virginia Techs Title 9 policy
Most people only think of females athletes when they hear the words “Title IX,” but the amendment actually encompasses situations of sexual equality. All Virginia Tech RA’s are required to attend a Title IX and Violence Against Women workshop in order to better support our residents, but I learned so many things about the concept of consent that I felt were important for my residents to understand. The board talks about consent in an unthreatening manner, and draws people in with a popular pop song reference. It also provides readers with information on various resources around campus that are available to people who have experienced sexual assault.
October 2015
Fall 2015: This bulletin board was made in order to prompt residents to learn more about cultural appropriation–especially in the context of their Halloween costume choices
People are exposed to a number of different ideas upon arriving at their university, and one such idea that I wanted to communicate to my residents was the idea of cultural appropriation, or the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture. I found a number of inappropriately and offensively named costumes being sold on the internet (Sexy Pow Wow Indian, Get Leid Hula Girl) and used the shock stemming from the recreated paper dolls to direct them to a number of questions and facts about what cultural appropriation encompasses. I was inspired to make it after seeing a campaign concerning the same topic by students at Ohio University.
November 2015
Fall 2015: This board was made to encourage residents to question the people they’ve become in the last semester
After dealing with such heavy topics in the first two months of the semester, I decided to incorporate some moments of reflection into the month of November. I used a popular song reference again to catch my residents’ eyes, and encouraged them to think through a number of questions and quotes around the hall. My goal was to have them look at the person they may have become over the course of the semester, and question whether they were changing for good or bad.
December 2015
Winter 2015: This bulletin board is equipped with tips on how to de-stress properly during finals week
I live in a Freshman hall, and this semester of finals was the first for many of my residents. I decided to incorporate a number of stress relievers, including strips of bubble wrap, up and down my hall to remind them to take a break and focus on their mental health and self care. Each of the sloths have a tip for effective stress release, and the big sloth in the middle serves as encouragement for smiles.