ConfrontationCampus Housing

University of Illinois at ChicagoResident Assistant and Peer Mentor Online Training

What is Confrontation?

• Take a minute and think about confrontation:• what is it to you? • What are all the parts of

confrontation?

Pre-Confrontation Preparation

• What do you need (on a duty night)?• Duty Materials

• Duty Phone, Duty Binder, Paper, Pen, Duty Keys

• What do you wear?• Close-toed shoes, comfortable clothes, slightly

conservative, Campus Housing Polo, Name Badge

• How about a random confrontation?• Clothes, pen, paper

Confrontation Process

• AEIOU Process• Announce• Explain• Identify• Observe• Unload

Announce

• Who you are• LOUDLY• Assertively as possible!

• What would you announce when you knock on a door?

Explain

• Why you are there• What brought you there.• Let them know why you are

knocking on their door, ie I was doing my round and heard bottles clanking, I understand that the owner of this room is under 21.

Identify• All the people in the room

• Who do you already ‘know’ in the room?

• Get identification from those you don’t know.• What if people say they have no ID?

• All should have an ID, if they do not live in the building they had to use an ID to check in.

Observe• Everything that’s going on!

• Pay special attention to:• Why are you there?• What is (was) everyone doing?• How is (was) everyone acting?• Little details

Unload

• The information you’ve gathered!

• Type it into the form of an Incident Report (do on Microsoft Word first)• The IR form will do spellcheck

• Incident Reports muse be submitted right away, they will be checked along with the 8am duty log.

Body Positioning

• Where do I stand?

• Keep yourself square with the door.

• NEVER enter a room by yourself.

• NEVER enter a room without asking the residents if you MAY enter.

Non-Verbal Tactics

• Eye Contact• Make DIRECT eye contact when talking to

someone

• Scanning• Constantly (and subtly) scan the room when

you are not in eye contact mode.

DO NOT :

• Enter a room without permission.• Touch a resident or his/her guest.• Touch their things. (you may take things

they’ve handed you such as an ID but not alcohol).

• Open their fridge without permission.• Dispose of their liquor or not-permitted

items. (They need to do this).

Verbal Tactics• Be ASSERTIVELY Loud.

• Do not AGGRESSIVELY Yell.• Keep It Simple.

• “I’m here to record what happened and enforce policy”. No need for long explanations or arguments.

• Become a Broken Record.• Don’t argue – Continuously repeat what you need,

even if they are arguing or bargaining.

Verbal Tactics, Cont’d.

• Keep Things Moving Forward.• Don’t let residents sidetrack you.

• BE NICE• You should NEVER be rude. You are confronting

the policy violation, not the person.• Always ASK for things.

• “May I Come In”• “Will You Open Your Fridge?”

What Will The Residents Be Like When I Confront?• Typical Confrontation• The Yeller• The Philosopher• The Crier• The Bargainer

Typical Confrontation

• Residents will do as you ask.• May ask a few questions about the judicial

process.

• NEVER tell that what the outcome will be. You can explain the process.

• Refer them to the Policy Handbook.

Yellers• Goal is to intimidate you as much as possible.

• Harass constantly hoping you’ll change your mind.• Nothing is sacred, they’ll harass you about anything and

everything.

• TIP:• Let them be mad for awhile – within reason.• Speak more quietly, they will want to hear what you say.• Write down WORD FOR WORD everything they say. Put

this in your IR.• If they are out of hand, offer them Resident Director on

Duty if they don’t want to cooperate.

Philosophers• Will argue you until the bitter end• Often Junior Lawyers – goal is for you to

contradict yourself and to use this in his/her conduct meeting.• “It’s my Constitutional Right”• “Why Do We Have That Policy?”

• TIP:• Be nice, be simple.• Explain you enforce policies, and do not determine

what will happen.• If they CONTINUE to philosophize, they have a

chance to discuss it with the resident director.

Criers• May Just Be Scared• May say, “My Parents Are Going to Kill Me” or

“I’ve Never Gotten In Trouble Before”• TIP:

• You can be Firm AND Gentle.• Remind them he/she will meet with the Resident

Director or Student Conduct Board and will have the opportunity to share his/her side of the story.

• After the incident, if he/she still wants to talk, you can do so, away from the incident and the other residents.• Remind them the violation will still be documented.

Bargainers

• Will try to tell you why they SHOULDN’T get in trouble.• May attempt to bribe you.

• TIP:• Use Broken Record Tactic.

• Tell them you’re just documenting the situation.• Don’t get caught up in the bargaining

• Document the fact they’re trying to bargain with you.

What If I Need Back-Up?

• Use the duty phone to call another RA/PM for back-up.

• If beyond the scope of your control, call Resident Director on Duty for assistance, or advice.

Confiscating Illegal Items

• Departmentally we expect:• You confiscate anything illegal in room• Store in designated area determined by Resident Director.

• After confrontation, escort Resident to designated area (Don’t Walk It Yourself).

• Alcohol • After counting the alcohol, escort Resident to the bathroom or utility room to

dispose of alcohol

• Drugs • After counting the alcohol, escort Resident to the bathroom or utility room to

dispose of drugs• If it looks like they could be dealing contact RD on Duty and University Police

Post-Confrontation• Completing Rounds

• If confrontation happened DURING rounds, complete rounds, then write IR

• Writing the I.R.• Write I.R. immediately. All Incident Reports must be

submitted by 8am.• You’ll remember details, will be more accurate.

• Venting• Processing verbally ONLY Resident Director– NEVER

discuss with residents.

Advice

• BE NICE!!!• Can be Assertive, Confront & Be Nice. • Always Say Hello to People As You Pass Them in the

Hallway.

• Plan Ahead• Don’t Plan on Homework That’s Due The Next Day!!!

• Duty Nights can be Eventful.• Can Plan Programming on Duty Nights if RD permits.

• Should be Program You Can Leave.

QUESTIONS ?