Inviting Parents into the Conversation

Empowering Students & Families with Knowledge

People and systems have surely changed since the pandemic. In Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises, departments have learned to pivot to the new normal.

For University & Community Housing Services (UCHS), one new initiative was to invite parents into the conversation more than in the past, including coinciding educational housing programs with Parents & Family Weekend.

“I have broadened my perspective. Educating the parent empowers [them] to support their student more successfully,” said Jennifer Birchim, Manager of Community Housing

Services. “For staff, our campus feels really small, because we know how to navigate it like the back of our hand, but I began to see our campus through a different lens – that of a parent – and it gave me different insights.”

During the pandemic, the UCHS team began working remotely like many on campus, and the office received hundreds of emails and calls weekly. Parents and students alike wanted answers. It was chaotic at times for the mighty UCHS office, who understandably didn’t know all the answers to the housing crisis or when students would be allowed back on campus – but the calls kept coming. 

To help ease worries, Birchim became more heavily involved on the unofficial UCSB Facebook Parents’ Forum where she could disseminate important information that was sometimes not getting to them via their students.

“It kind of snowballed into me answering campus-wide housing questions,” Birchim said, “which cut down on the general questions from parents to the office via calls and emails.”

Once the UCHS office made it over the pandemic hump and back into the office, leadership learned that including parents and guardians more openly would set the family unit up for wins.

“I changed my tune after being in the parent forum, and as a parent, yes, I want the student to have autonomy, but it would be nice for a parent to have that information,” she said, adding how important it is to remind them also to encourage their student to ask the questions.

“They don’t give their student enough credit often,” Birchim said. “They are worried, and I get that as a parent, but we want to set the student up for success, and our office provides a great opportunity for students to be a little more independent.”

For the first time, UCHS hosted a Rental Fair during the 2022 UCSB’s Parent & Family Weekend (photo above by Jenn Birchim). In the past Rental Fairs had only been marketed toward students and held later in the academic year. Attendees had the opportunity to meet property providers and find out about renting in Isla Vista, Goleta and Santa Barbara.

“I was nervous – were people going to show up?” Birchim said. “But then I looked outside my window and there were hundreds of people! It was so successful; we will do it again because it’s a great way for parents and students to get the needed information.”

Birchim said subleasing info sessions have also become another popular event for parents, and UCHS is making a significant effort to include them. “We have our own little niche here [in I.V.] and having to explain that to parents,” she said. “My role is to give them real-life situations. Giving them knowledge, strategies, education about being a successful renter in the future, being proactive, asking questions – because most have never rented before, and the parent probably hasn’t rented since they were in school.”

Navigating roommate and landlord issues, documenting the interior of the apartments, splitting bills – you name it – UCHS covers this information to prepare students for this real-world chapter in their lives. There are also Freshman-focused presentations to prepare students on UCSB housing or how to choose a roommate, for example.

Another silver lining from the good ol’pandemic was the ability to host more events that can be held virtually. Now UCHS can reach more students and their parents/guardians by hosting online events and continue hosting many in-person events around campus. Now that UCHS has completed one full year of hosting both types of events, they plan to continue the momentum. 

“In the past, we weren’t able to give these kinds of virtual housing programs,” Birchim said. “But because of Zoom, information can now be accessible to whoever needs it, and the student and parent can sit together and hear the information. It’s a win-win for our office, the parents, and the student!”

The UCHS office is tucked away on the third floor of the UCen and welcomes drop-ins. They’re here to help!