He aha te mea nui o te ao?
He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!

What is the most important thing in the world?
It is people! It is people! It is people!

Introduction

Purpose of this Handbook

The purpose of this Handbook is to provide some useful guidance, information, advice, tips, etc. to assist you with your role as a College Leader this year. Of course, in a document of this nature, it is not possible to cover every eventuality but hopefully the information in this Handbook will provide some background, perspective, and a frame of reference so that judgement can be applied when a particular situation comes your way. Remember too that you are not alone: you are part of a team of 11 College Leaders who can be called on for assistance and support, as can the Head of College or Deputy Heads of College.

This College Leaders’ Handbook should be read in conjunction with the Members’ Handbook (available electronically on our website at handbook.stmargarets.college) and the College Leaders Role Description (Appendix 3) and Code of Practice (Appendix 4). You need to be very familiar with the contents of these documents so that you know all about the College’s operations, norms, systems and protocols. People will come to you for advice, often needing quick answers and knowledge of College matters will help you with this. If unsure, please ask a fellow College Leader or appropriate College staff member.

College ethos

St Margaret's College exists for its community of Members, and their welfare is its main concern. It strives to provide a welcoming, supportive, and sought-after environment in which Members can thrive in all respects (academically, personally and socially).

The College is also known for its academic focus, high standards, and has developed an enviable reputation as a result. Nurturing this type of environment and providing an atmosphere conducive to learning is very important to us. College Leaders play a crucial pastoral role in this regard.

It all begins with our ethos as a College. As College Leaders, you are expected, at all times and in everything you do, to model the underlying values (the four Cs) of our ethos:

• Care (look after your own wellbeing and those around you)
• Courtesy (treat others respectfully like you would like to be treated)
• Consideration for others (be aware of how your behaviour will affect others in the community)
• Common sense (only do things that feel sensible, logical and right)

Pastoral role

Your pastoral care role will be evident from day one where you welcome Members to the College, answer questions, help homesick Members and provide support as they transition from school to university life.

Encouragement and support continues throughout the year, and reaches a peak at exam times. This aspect of your role is very important. Besides encouraging Members to take advantage of the academic help the College offers, we aim to create an atmosphere on the floors that is friendly and family-like, and which facilitates study and maintaining a balance.

Sometimes you will need to have a quiet chat with a Member about their behaviour if it is not in keeping with our norms and expectations. You may need to gently explain why something is the way it is. People will respond best to reasonable assertiveness, so this should usually be the initial approach taken.

Unfortunately, sometimes people will not respond to reason and refuse to abide by College norms and expectations, and then you will need to be much firmer. Judgement is needed and sometimes advice may need to be sought from other College Leaders or the Head of College.

Please remember that almost all the new Members of the college are living away from home for the first time, and they arrive with a mixture of eagerness and apprehension. They have probably never lived with strangers, or in such a densely-populated building. Some will not be used to eating with so many others and there is etiquette to be learned. People will see ways of thinking, living and believing that are new and surprising. The freedom of alcohol will be new to many and some will have to work through problems associated with interpersonal relationships. There is much to be learned! Members will be looking to you as a role model.

The beauty of grey

St Margaret’s is not a “police state”. Yes, we have norms and expectations of behaviour but we need to exercise judgement and humanity in the way we encourage compliance. Things are not always black or white; grey is often the most appropriate avenue to follow. Discretion and judgement are really important, as are kindness, understanding and compassion. As Maya Angelou once said:

If you are unsure about what to do when a certain circumstance presents itself, discuss it with another College Leader or the Head of College. It’s better to be slow to act than too hasty and perhaps make things worse.

Care of each other

Care and support for your fellow College Leaders is very important as the role is a demanding one. We are all in this together and will need each other during the year. Please keep an eye out for the other College Leaders, and offer support, practical help, understanding, a listening ear etc. Do remember, however, that you are not a trained counsellor. If you have concerns about yourself or another College Leader and are unsure about what to do, discuss the matter with the Head of College in the first instance.

Humility

Please be aware that sometimes you will get some things wrong. Own up to mistakes and learn from them. No one expects you to be perfect.

Relationships

The foundation for anything you do as a College Leader will depend on your relationships with the people around you. While College Leader training at the beginning of the year does an excellent job of bonding the entire team, it also needs constant work throughout the year. And of course, you need to make a concerted effort to spend time on your floor and develop relationships with your Members.

Trustworthiness

You have a great deal of responsibility as a College Leader and are entrusted with much. Please continue earning that trust.

Teamwork

A good College Leadership team is central to a good year at the College, and it will largely be up to you to facilitate this. Please make sure you do not become a lone-ranger.

Appearance of the College

Please look after the physical appearance of the College, and encourage others to do the same. This includes picking up rubbish if you see any, making sure floor kitchens are clean, reporting in the maintenance book any blown light bulbs or broken furniture you might notice in the shared spaces, straightening furniture and picture frames, or tidying shared spaces, etc.

College ambassador

As College Leaders, you represent St Margaret’s College both within and outside the College. In this sense, you are our ambassadors at all times. How you behave and what you say will reflect on the College. Ambassadors are courteous, polite, diplomatic, and generally have good people skills (these are some of the reasons why you have been selected as a College Leader!).

Duties

College Leaders have various duties and responsibilities which are described in this Handbook. In general, you are expected to:

• Attend to the Members on your floor
• Attend all College functions
• Attend weekly meetings with the Head of College and Deputy Heads of College
• Perform rostered duties (morning, evening, late, and weekend duties)
• Attend to the portfolios you are responsible for
• Arrange Expert Breakfasts (rostered, once each throughout the year)
• Arrange floor guests for pre-and post-dinner gatherings when Formal Dinners are held
• Arrange at least two get-togethers with your floor Members (at least once per semester)
• Organise individual birthday meetings for each Member on your floor

Measures of success

Customer satisfaction is one index of success in the commercial world and while it is not the only index used in this College, it is important. This is an important time in young people's lives and we want it to be a positive experience that they can look back on later as a time when they made many friends, and where people cared for them and helped them personally, socially, and academically. No one should leave the College feeling the worse for having attended it. Upon leaving, or at some stage in the future, we would like Members to look back at their “Marg’s experience” and feel that the College helped them to develop as a whole person.

Each year during May the University administers a College Residents survey across all Colleges. The results of this survey provide a good indicator of our/your success. There are eight main dimensions to this survey including a “Welfare and well-being” one. The others are: Safety and security; Social environment; Physical environment; Food service; Learning environment; Management and communication; and Overall College experience. You will receive a confidential comprehensive report after the survey has been conducted.

Another index of our success will be the academic results of our Members, although we can’t take responsibility for circumstances beyond our control (e.g. health problems, family issues, slackness, etc). The minimum standard is that everyone should pass, with everyone working to the best of their abilities. As a College Leader, you play a very important role in setting the academic tone of the College, particularly on your floor.