Confrontation

Campus Housing

University of Illinois at Chicago

Resident 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 drugs, 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. More information regarding this will come during fall training.

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.