Mission Statement

University Housing has recently completed a four-year strategic plan, guiding our department through the year 2020. A copy of the plan can be accessed here: Strategic Plan Report 2020.

Below, you will find some of the guiding statements for our department.

University Housing Mission Statement

UWM University Housing is committed to enhancing community members’ cultural understanding, leadership skills, academic success, social connections, and social responsibility by creating safe, comfortable, and well-maintained living learning environments that inspire growth and development.

University Housing Vision Statement

Creating communities that transform lives.

University Housing Values

Inclusivity

We recognize that University Housing includes a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders, and we encourage all community members to continually seek to understand and learn from each other. We believe all community members matter and provide opportunities for them to share their individual stories. When residents’ needs are not met, we listen to concerns in order to make changes to better UW-Milwaukee services.

We are committed to:

  • Challenging ourselves to respect the free expression of all individuals.
  • Affirming the dignity of each member in our community.
  • Providing a bias-free environment and responding appropriately when an incident of hate/bias occurs.
  • Continuously educating ourselves on important issues related to human difference.
  • Recognizing the uniqueness of each student, staff, and faculty member.
  • Enhancing our community by taking the time to appreciate different perspectives.

Community

Community is at the heart of the University Housing experience. We encourage all members of the University Housing community to share of themselves, their talents, and their experiences with the larger community. We value all of our members, and trust the community is enriched by the contributions of those individual members.

We are committed to:

  • Building meaningful and authentic relationships by communicating regularly, honestly and openly.
  • Volunteering our time and talent with community organizations both on-campus and off-campus.
  • Regularly searching for thoughtful feedback from all members of our community.
  • Providing an array of activities for all members to actively engage with each other, whether it be on an academic, social, or professional scale.

Adaptability

We recognize that continual improvement is the hallmark of a successful organization. We value the patience and insight of our community members, as we look to better their residential experience. We encourage all members of our community to keep an open mind when changes are required.

We are committed to:

  • Regularly obtaining feedback regarding our departmental practices.
  • Examining available information on departmental practices to determine strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement.
  • Changing departmental practices to ensure the needs of the community are met in the best and most-efficient manner.
  • Providing flexibility and understanding, when issues arise due to lack of foresight or unavoidable circumstances, to ensure the best possible outcome for those involved.
  • Acting quickly and proficiently to matters concerning stakeholders.

Responsibility

We strive to inspire community members to hold themselves accountable for their work, actions, and words. Members of the community should take pride in their efforts, relationships, and facilities. We encourage community members to take responsibility for their decisions and learn to recognize negative consequences can be an opportunity for growth.

We are committed to:

  • Supporting students as they navigate independence in a new environment.
  • Regularly reviewing policies and procedures so they best fit the community need.
  • Challenging community members to take ownership of their actions.
  • Recognizing when community members go above and beyond to show exceptional care and compassion.

Excellence

We value the continual pursuit of excellence in all areas of University Housing. Our motivation comes from a desire to provide the best resident experience possible. We will challenge our residents and ourselves to continually develop and grow.

We are committed to:

  • Contributing to the on-going development of best practices for residential campus housing.
  • Investing the time and energy needed for our facilities to always be among the best in the University of Wisconsin System.
  • Encouraging our students to hold themselves to a higher standard by strengthening their efforts both in and out of the classroom.
  • Recognizing the achievements of students and staff through both everyday conversations as well as appropriate and thoughtful forms of appreciation.
  • Demonstrating pride in our department and campus through the quality of our work and commitment to the campus community.

Division of Student Affairs Core Values

Student Success and Well-Being

We are committed to all of our students; supporting, encouraging, guiding and challenging their personal, educational and professional development. We are dedicated to creating learning opportunities for all our students to achieve success within an environment that cultivates tolerance, civility, and respect, where students care about their well being and the well-being of others.

Learning

We partner with our academic colleagues to create a vibrant program of study, which includes co-curricular activities and on-campus employment. We strive to establish within our community a learner-focused, outcome-based environment. This setting includes experiential and work-based learning, civic engagement, and a connection to the campus community, reinforcing our capacity for and commitment to life-long learning.

A Supportive and Inclusive Community

We believe that differences in people and diverse points-of-view are valuable, and that a truly caring community is one where each member feels welcomed, engaged, and celebrated. We embody this belief when we are inclusive of all people, we recognize our similarities, and we embrace our differences through mutual respect. We seek to cultivate an environment of awareness and understanding of diversity and multicultural issues, through our programs, words and behaviors, and will role-model advocacy and social justice in all our actions.

Relationships

We understand the intrinsic value of relationships. We develop strong, trusting relationships with students, co-workers, and others we encounter through our work, leading to a caring campus, a supportive environment, and a welcoming community.

Personal Growth and Development

We respect each individual’s journey toward greater personal growth and development. We understand the importance of meeting students where they are in order to be partners in this process. Further, we approach education holistically, encouraging personal achievements, and the care for the mind, body, and spirit of each student, faculty, and staff member.

Leadership

We make every effort to be leaders in our campus community through our actions, service delivery, and dedication to students. As educators, in partnership with students and colleagues, we provide quality leadership opportunities that are challenging and rewarding.  We are intentional in the design and delivery of engaging and empowering experiences, which foster the development of ethical, responsible, and collaborative leaders.

Professionalism

We encourage professional development and ethical behavior of our staff and we conduct our programs and ourselves with the highest integrity. In keeping with best practices, we provide intentional and effective service to students and other stakeholders. We collaborate and consult with one another in an effort to achieve excellence. We are committed to treating one another with respect, making ethical decisions, and holding each other accountable. We model professionalism and encourage each other to develop expertise in our practice, engaging in professional development that is grounded in theory and focused on application.