Employment
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Position Description
Position
The Resident Adviser is responsible for a floor, wing or section of a hall. The RA is there to help with the community, personal and academic concerns of the student and to help work out any group conflicts that may arise. The Resident Adviser also serves as a facilitator to encourage a cooperative and considerate group living environment. The RA is expected to help build a feeling of togetherness and community by initiating and helping to organize floor, wing, section or hall activities and programs. The RA serves as an information resource about the campus and residence hall. Most of all, the RA is expected to be a person who cares about people and attempts to make the residence hall a worthwhile place to live.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Resident Adviser are numerous and varied. The following is a representative yet not all inclusive list of Resident Adviser responsibilities. The Resident Adviser:
- Maintains a professional attitude and manner while employed as a University employee for the Office of Residence Life.
- Knows and understands the philosophy of the Office of Residence Life and is familiar with the resource material in the ORL Staff Manual.
- Knows and understands the rationale for University and Residence Hall policies and procedures, and interprets and enforces them effectively.
- Helps students adjust to their roommates, floor mates, suitemates, residence hall and University communities.
- Assists in maintaining order in emergency situations.
- Participates in RA Training, Psychology 100, and inservice training sessions throughout the year. Advance notification to your Hall Director is required if you are unable to attend due to academic reasons.
- Attends and participates in all meetings called by the Hall Director, Area Director and/or Office of Residence Life.
- Develops a positive working relationship with Hall Director and peer staff members.
- Informs the Hall Director of living unit situations (such as but not limited to incidents, needs, behavioral changes and unknown whereabouts of members) through individual consultations, unscheduled conversations, staff meetings and weekly reports.
- Works with and supports the housekeeping staff and explains their role to students.
- Supports and participates in the evaluation of residence hall staff personnel.
- Completes certain administrative tasks as assigned by the Hall Director, Area Director and/or Office of Residence Life.
- Maintains records concerning room inventory and damages in students’ rooms.
- Assists with student room check-in and check-out procedures.
- Assists with surveys and special projects as requested by the Hall Director and/or Office of Residence Life.
- Assists students with their personal and group concerns within limits of training and capability.
- Shares responsibility of duty nights and hall security. RAs are expected to be in their respective hall most evenings and nights of each week and available to meet student needs. Official RA duty guidelines are set at the discretion of the Hall Director. Duty guidelines include: conducting duty rounds, performing security checks, displaying professional behavior, etc.
- Submits any and all requests for time away from the hall, especially nights, in writing to the Hall Director. The resident adviser is permitted the equivalent of two weekends off per month.
- Maintains a high level of ethical standards whether on duty or not. We expect this from RAs as paraprofessional members of the Office of Residence Life. RAs should always assist in hall matters regardless of a duty night.
- Assists in additional responsibilities that occur concerning hall functions, such as but not limited to additional duties to respond to safety or university scheduled event(s).
- Meets each student in the living unit as soon as possible, as well as with other residents of the hall.
- Holds periodic meetings with his or her living unit for general communication, sharing information, or generating enthusiasm.
- Facilitates programming as outlined by the CAMP model individually, in cooperation with other Resident Advisers and with residents of the living unit. Specific guidelines and directions concerning programming are arranged with the Hall Director. Each RA is responsible for at least four programs each semester.
- Encourages and supports students in their involvement in Community Activities Board, programming, and campus activities.
- Provides an informational floor bulletin board for academic information, social events, deadline dates, Community Council or Community Activities Board, maintenance, policies, procedures, and safety.
- Works with the Hall Director in supporting Community Council or Community Activities Board.
- Remains in the Residence Hall until all students have left for vacation periods (Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring and Summer Breaks) and returns early to open the Residence Hall after vacation periods. Resident Advisers must participate in all opening, closing and inspection procedures, and may not leave until dismissed by the Hall Director. Resident Advisers may be required to work portions of Thanksgiving and Spring breaks if necessary.
- Participates in RA recruitment, selection and evaluation processes.
- Rejects additional employment or significant time commitments while serving on the residence hall staff. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in writing through the Area Director in conjunction with the Assistant Director, and Hall Director, before making a commitment.
- Does not allow extracurricular activities to conflict with the duties of the position.
- Maintains a 2.0 cumulative GPA. A maximum course load of 18 undergraduate hours will be permitted.
- Enforces and personally follows all University, residence hall, and state policies or laws. This includes laws on legal drinking age. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action or termination of employment.
I hereby agree to attend the possible speaker presentation in April (new RAs) and agree to report for RA Training on Friday, August 12, 2011 (all RAs) and other training as required by the Office of Residence Life or my Hall Director.
I have read the Resident Adviser Position Description, the Resident Adviser Contract and the Ethical Standards. I understand the content, agree to follow all conditions, and I accept this appointment for the academic year 2011-2012.
- RA signs and dates the contract.
- RA indicates name of assigned residence hall that he or she has accepted.
Our Mission Statement
Important Dates
Undergrad HD Applications due November 12, 2012.
Resident Adviser Applications available December 1, 2012.
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