Charting the Future of Regional Partnerships

The Association of College & University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I) convened its first-ever Regional Summit on January 14-16, 2025, in Louisville, KY. This groundbreaking event brought together Presidents, Presidents-Elect, Treasurers, and Past Presidents across nine North American regions, the ACUHO-I Regional Affiliations Director and the ACUHO-I Executive Committee.  The goal was to foster collaboration and advance strategic priorities aligned with the ACUHO-I 2024-2026 and Regional Strategic Plans.

The Summit focused on addressing shared challenges and leveraging collective expertise in four key areas: education, technology, annual conferences, and shared services. Participants engaged in collaborative discussions to identify innovative solutions that enhance member engagement, professional development, and operational effectiveness across the collegiate housing community.

ACUHO-I and the Regions are especially thankful to Southwest Contract for their sponsorship of this initiative. 

Key Outcomes and Recommendations

The summit emphasized the importance of partnership and trust in tackling common issues and produced several actionable recommendations. The definition of the areas of focus can be found here.

  • Education: Streamlining professional development initiatives by collaborating on programs and expanding access to diverse learning experiences.
  • Technology: Establishing operating procedures for technology coordinators to improve resource sharing and system integration.
  • Annual Conferences: Developing strategic communication plans to amplify the value and accessibility of in-person professional events.
  • Shared Services: Hosting regular regional meetings to enhance communication, knowledge sharing, and operational alignment recognizing current successful practices between ACUHO-I and Regions.

A Commitment to Collaboration

During the event, participants addressed critical challenges, including rising costs, member engagement, and the evolving technological landscape. Summit attendees identified opportunities for strategic alignment, discussed the importance of enhancing accessibility, and affirmed the imperative to focus on inclusivity and sustainability in all initiatives.

The Regional Summit marked the beginning of a series of events aimed at fostering sustained organizational relationships and setting the stage for long-term success. “This summit represents a transformative moment for ACUHO-I and its regional partners,” Mary DeNiro, CEO of ACUHO-I, said. “By aligning our efforts and embracing innovative solutions, we are better positioned to support the needs of collegiate housing professionals and their institutions.”

“Collaborating and finding ways to share best practices and ideas is critical in the ever-changing campus housing and higher education landscape.  We appreciate the opportunity to meet face-to-face with our peers and have honest discussions about what we can do between regions and with ACUHO-I,” said Mathew Mund, President-Elect of NWACUHO.

Next Steps

ACUHO-I and the regional affiliates will work in Impact Teams to identify recommendations on the focus areas of Education, Annual Conferences, Technology and Shared Services, with progress updates anticipated at Campus Home. Live! this June in Columbus, Ohio.

For more information about ACUHO-I and the Regional Summit, contact mdeniro@acuho-i.org or your regional president.