Griz Guides

Thank you for your interest in being a Griz Guide. As you may know, Griz Guides are a two-person team of faculty and staff members who will collaborate with UM Housing staff to connect residents with professional staff members and help build positive communities in the residence halls.

Applicable UM Housing rules and regulations

Please see https://www.umt.edu/housing/rh/policies/default.php for more information

  • No alcohol, drugs, etc.
  • Quiet hours from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
  • Keep exterior doors locked
  • No sports in halls
  • No appliances that could produce smoke

How to best work with the RA assigned to you

Resident Assistants are expected to be integral, engaged leaders in their community and should be excellent resources for Griz Guides. RAs are expected to check their email daily so that should be the ideal way to communicate with them. You may also exchange phone numbers with the RA. However, the best way to ensure the semester runs as smoothly as possible is to meet with the RA and Area Coordinator (professional supervisor of RAs) at the beginning of each semester and create a plan for programs for each semester during that meeting.

The RA will take the lead on the first program each semester to introduce you and help build relationships, and as a Griz Guide, you will plan and prepare for the remaining four programs each semester. The RA is there to help and should remain heavily involved in the planning of implementation of programs, but the Griz Guide is expected to be the driving force for these specific events. The Griz Guides will work through and with the RA to coordinate the time, date and location of each program — and at least one week in advance. The RA will help to advertise the event. If the event is larger or needs more planning, the Griz Guides will need to give the RA as much notice as possible, but at least two weeks.

If you have any issues or concerns while working with your assigned RA, please contact the respective Area Coordinator as soon as possible.

Mandatory reporter information

UM employees are mandatory reporters when it comes to students disclosing information about sexual misconduct, but many people don’t know what that means. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative action offers an online training session that will focus on what UM employees need to know about Title IX and student sexual misconduct. It will outline the University’s Discrimination Policy and Procedures for a University investigation, how to respond if a student shares that they have been the victim of sexual misconduct, mandated reporting, what support and interim measures are available to students who report to the Title IX Coordinator, what confidentiality means in this context and how we are looking to change our campus culture through bystander intervention.
 
Please see http://www.umt.edu/eo/training-guidance/default.php for more information
 
Working with students — dos and don’ts
Do

  • Communicate with RAs via email or their cell phone
  • Be involved in the floor and planning
  • Contact the AC if you have issues
  • Plan things early in the semester

Don’t

  • Feel like you have to plan things alone
  • Give up if early programs don’t go well
  • Schedule programs at times when students are less likely to attend (during the work/class day)
  • Assume RAs are always available, please be understanding of the multiple demands on these student leader’s time
  • Be involved in the first few weeks and then phase out — we all get busy but consistency is key!

 
Ideas for events

  • Trivia on a particular topic
  • TED talks with discussion
  • Career or Resume workshops
  • Planner Party
  • Food Zoo Meal
  • Field trips into Missoula
  • Pet play time (do this one outside!)
  • Attend a Grizzly Athletic event
  • Show them something cool/exclusive/special on campus

 
How to fund the events
Each RA has a programming fund allocated for them in the semester and the Area Coordinator may be able to pull in additional funds. Discuss this budget in the first semester meeting and contact RA or AC if you have ideas that require funds. The RA will be the one who officially requests the funds for each event.
 
Expectations of GGs

  • Attend the planning meeting with the AC and RA to prepare for the semester
  • Communicate with the RA regularly and in advance
  • Maintain appropriate relationships with students and understand the power and influence of your role
  • As a Griz Guide, you will have to plan and prepare for four of the five initiatives in the semester
  • While it may seem awkward at first, Griz Guides should feel comfortable being present on the residence hall floors, hosting events in floor lounges and even knocking on resident doors once they have been introduced to the community
  • If there are issues working with the assigned resident assistant, Griz Guides should contact the area coordinator

Be engaged and enthusiastic with the floor!
Be consistent and follow through on commitments.
 
What you will get out of it
We hope that your experience as a Griz Guide will be a rewarding one. Connecting with students in this unique setting should be fun as well as impactful. We hope as you connect with students in your assigned community, you cultivate genuine relationships and are able to make a profound impact in their lives. Through this program, not only will students have the opportunity to build relationships with you, but they will also feel more comfortable with seeking help with faculty and staff across the university.
 
Evaluation of program

UM Housing plans to obtain feedback from residents, RAs and GGs each semester

UM Housing will work to assess the success of each program/event as well as the Griz Guide program as a whole. 

General programming plan

Griz Guides should collaborate with RAs to implement one event per series (please see timeline below)

The first event of each semester is an introductory event hosted by the RA. Griz Guides should attend that event, introduce themselves to the floor and engage with the residents.

The following four events should be planned by the Griz Guides, and the RA will assist in helping plan this event and inviting residents to the event.

Timeline

  • Fall semester
  • Griz Guides meet with AC and RAs between Aug. 19 and Aug. 30Get to know each other and review some expectations of each position
    • Discuss dynamics of the community and brainstorm programming ideas
    • Plan at least the first two events — the further out the plan is, the better
  • Series 1: Attend first event with residents between Aug. 25-Sept. 14
  • Series 2: Plan an event between Sept. 15-Oct. 5
  • Series 3: Plan an event between Oct. 6- Oct. 26
  • Series 4: Plan an event between Oct. 27-Nov. 16  
  • Series 5: Plan an event between Nov. 17- Dec. 7 
  • Spring semester
  • Griz Guides meet again with AC and RAs to between Jan. 7-Jan. 19
    • Talk about what went well and didn't’t go well last semester
    • Plan at least first two events — the further out the plan is, the better
  • Series 1: Attend first event with residents between Jan. 12-Feb. 1
  • Series 2: Plan an event between Feb. 2-Feb. 22 
  • Series 3: Plan an event between Feb. 23-March 14
  • Series 4: Plan an event between March 22-April 11 
  • Series 5: Plan an event between April 12-May 2