Students say the darnest things

I've been getting kind of frustrated with my learning communities. I feel like there isn't enough "learning" going on but I don't feel like I have the freedom to make that learning happen. I'm afraid certain staff members will see it as me overstepping my boundaries, if I truly take charge of events, get faculty involved and make decisions for the future of the community. At the same time, if I don't do anything, nothing happens and it's like the students don't even live in a learning community anymore - except for the occasional Walmart trip (is that really a LEARNING community event?) and a weekly message with announcements (half of which I submit).

We have a student organization that is connected to the learning community but has become a fully registered student organization with our student government, and therefore is now open to all students. I've been the advisor for the organization and they're the only ones who've been doing things for the learning community this year. And they've been absolutely amazing. But it's the Spring semester, the middle of Spring semester, and questions about elections and next Fall and the future of the organization are coming up. Which also brings up questions about the future of the learning community? Questions I can't answer. And questions that bring up other good questions. ;)

For example, one of the students asked tonight about the faculty director for next year. There used to be a faculty director and a graduate student supporting that faculty director. At the end of last year, the faculty director left, so this year, we only had the graduate student; which meant I had to get more involved. Now, they are supposedly searching for a faculty director and I've heard that there are some candidates out there and that an offer may be made soon. So I told my students that there may be a new faculty director for next year but that I didn't know anything mroe specific. Which led the students to the next question - how the search for the faculty director works. I answered truthfully that I'm not really sure; I know which office oversees it but that's about it. And that led to the final and best question of the evening: "Why aren't you involved in that search?"

Hmm, yeah, good question!!!

I know the faculty director is supposed to be in charge of the community and as a Hall Director I'm supposed to be supporting them. But that still means that I'll be spending a lot of time with that person and will have to work closely with them, so shouldn't I at least be part of the search process? Even if I don't get a say in it, it'd be nice to be kept more up-to-date.

People always assume that I want to "take over" things or that I'm on some sort of power trip. But honestly, I just want to be included and know what's going on - especially with things that affect me. I want a faculty director that I can talk to, with whom I can plan things, split up responsibilities - so it isn't the faculty director doing one thing and me and my RAs doing something else and nobody knowing what's really going on and everyone working against each other instead of together. I want us to be on the same page, have similar goals.

I love that we typically have strong faculty support here; and in my other learning community we really do. But in my other learning community, the faculty also talks to me and we plan things together or they tell me what they're planning and I add to it. Or I organize and plan the event (because sometimes that's easier for me to do) and then they actually go on it and interact with the students.

I'm rambling, but this has just been so frustrating. And it's tough when the students are picking up on it now and are asking the questions I've been asking myself for months.