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Resident
Assistant 2008- 2009
Position
Description
At Wright
State University , the Resident Assistant (RA)
position is an integral position within the Office
of Residence Services. Resident Assistants are
Residence Life student staff members who have
direct and constant, day-to-day resident interaction
throughout the year. As paraprofessional
staff, RAs engage in a very exciting, rewarding,
and challenging experience. Those involved
in the Residence Life program will have the opportunity
to develop leadership skills and enhance their
communication skills while gaining a better understanding
of themselves and others.
Qualifications
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required at
time of application. Individuals selected
for the Resident Assistant position must maintain
a cumulative GPA of 2.5 through (Resident Assistant
candidates for the Honors Hall are required to
possess and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA) the end
of the Spring Quarter. Employment will not
commence until the first day of the fall training
period. In the event that an individual who
is selected for the RA position has his or her
cumulative GPA drop below the required GPA at
the end of the Spring Quarter, that individual
will immediately have the offer of employment
withdrawn. Individuals will not be allowed
to begin a position while on probation. Resident
Assistants must be enrolled as full-time students
at Wright State University . Individuals
should not apply for the position unless they
are able to make an employment commitment for
the entire 2008-2009 academic year.
Compensation
Package Along with an invaluable and
rewarding growth experience, Resident Assistants
receive a private room in their assigned community;
weekly stipend paid out in taxable, bi-weekly
payments; local telephone service; residential
activity fee and residence hall board fee waivers. Note:
Facilities for partners and/or dependents are
not currently available.
Employment
Requirements
RESIDENT
EDUCATION
- Mediate
individual, roommate and floor conflicts.
- Facilitate
the Floor (for res. halls) or Unit (for apartments)
Standards Process, which includes facilitation
of and/or assistance with regular floor/unit
meetings, intimate knowledge of the model, mediation,
diplomacy, patience, and maturity.
- Facilitate
developmental education programming in your
floor/apt. community (includes both personal
and academic development), in addition to Floor/Unit
Standards. This includes: educational workshops
and social activities planned with and for residents,
as well as philanthropies/community service
projects.
- Be
supportive of and help promote RCA, NRHH, AARC,
and Community Council activities as requested.
- Assist,
as requested, with the Tunnel of Oppression
and other large scale departmental programming
initiatives.
- Create
and maintain floor and/or bulletin board decorations
(educational, informative and inviting in nature).
- Be
familiar with university and community resources
and their respective offices. Refer students
to campus resources.
- Be
a Leader. Assume responsibility for residential
student leadership development; participate
in resident leadership activities; support residential
student leadership initiatives and groups.
- Be
knowledgeable about and able to educate residents
about residence education issues. Education
issues may include, but are not limited to:
oppression reduction, diversity, community development,
alcohol education, health education, career
exploration, academic success, personal development,
community service, and civic education.
- Assist
students in maintaining a community environment
that is conducive to study.
HUMAN
RELATIONS
- Reside
in your assigned RA room and maintain a high
degree of availability and accessibility in
your community.
- Create
an environment that strives to enhance the health,
safety, and well-being of residents.
- Provide
crisis intervention and be knowledgeable about
referral sources.
- Attend,
participate in, and encourage resident involvement
in community activities & events.
- Maintain
regular contact with your Community Director
& Community Coordinator.
- Work
effectively with fellow staff members in a team
environment.
- Hold
fellow staff members, as well as residents,
accountable for group standards of behavior.
- Interact
with and develop relationships with residents.
- Be
a source of emotional support to residents (but,
also set and maintain boundaries; help residents
to help themselves) and make appropriate referrals
as necessary.
- Be
a role model/mentor/source of encouragement
and motivation to residents.
- Respond
to residential emergency situations and provide
assistance as needed.
ADMINISTRATIVE
& DUTY
- Serve
duty as required by supervisor and ORS - duty
includes, but is not limited to: holiday/break
duty (one week), rounds, lock-outs, roommate
conflict mediation, respond to emergency medical
and maintenance issues, assist professional
on-duty staff, be aware of and report safety
and security issues. RAs are expected to
remain in their communities while on-duty.
- Be
responsible for general facility well-being
and provide assistance with maintenance issues
(lock-outs, plunging toilets, wet-vacuum carpets,
clean up basic spills & other messes, etc.).
- Turn-in
receipts for funds spent and be responsible
with procurement card.
- Complete
floor/unit reconciliation forms by specified
deadlines.
- Mandatory
attendance and participation in all required
training sessions and educational courses: Fall
Staff Training, Winter Renewal, Spring Orientation
Workshop, & in-service or Residential Leadership
Development Program (RLDP) training. New
RAs are required to enroll in the EDL 410/610
academic course during the fall quarter.
- Assist
with RA and professional staff recruitment &
interview processes as needed.
- Attend
and participate in a weekly staff meeting and
a weekly supervision meeting.
- Complete
Fire/Health/Safety Inspections.
- Facilitate
beginning and end of year check-ins and check-outs
and complete all related paperwork (registration
cards, room condition forms, keys, etc.) by
specified deadlines. Assist with mid-year
check-in/out process & opening weekend welcome
activities.
- Deliver
priority & non-priority resident mail and
information (maintenance billing, lottery information,
flyers, etc.).
- Post
flyers/information and take down old information.
- Distribute
and collect assessment tools (surveys, evaluations,
feedback cards, etc.).
- Be
familiar with and utilize electronic and web
based forms.
- Check
and respond to voice-mail and e-mail daily.
- Represent
the Office of Residence Services to the residential
community.
- Serve
three office hours in a Community Director and/or
Community Coordinator office per week completing
paperwork, answering the phone, and processing
other tasks assigned by the professional staff.
- Be
a resident advocate - provide feedback to ORS
and/or others regarding resident interests (e.g.
academic success, judicial concerns, and housing
needs as it pertains to improvement of services);
serve as a liaison between residents and the
department.
- Understand
the structure and responsibilities of the student
housing tri-pod (facilities, residence life,
and business) and how those units integrate
and depend upon each other.
- Remain
on campus and be available up to 48 hours after
Spring Quarter closing.
POLICY
ENFORCEMENT
- Interpret,
enforce, confront and document violations of
University and ORS Policy (discipline, business,
and facilities policies included).
- Document
behavioral infractions and complete related
judicial conduct paperwork in a timely manner.
- ·Communicate
with individuals regarding inappropriate behavioral
issues & community concerns.
General
Understanding The Resident Assistant
position requires strong leadership; it is understood
that a significant degree of availability in the
residential community and a significant time commitment
is required for Resident Assistants to be successful
with development of their respective communities
and effective completion of their position responsibilities. To
be successful, a RA must make the position part
of his or her lifestyle and have a passion for
reaching out and working with fellow students
on a daily basis. Individuals who apply for
and accept the Resident Assistant position will
be expected to utilize effective personal time
and stress management techniques while successfully
balancing academic studies, job responsibilities
and a personal life.
Due
to the time demands of the RA position, Resident
Assistants who desire to take more than the normal
undergraduate 18 credit hour load will need to
receive advance approval from the Associate Director
for Residence Life. Individuals who desire
to take graduate (Masters, Doctorate, and Medical
School ) classes will need to obtain approval
from the Associate Director for Residence Life
prior to being employed in the RA position. Individuals
who hold paid positions in student organizations
(i.e., UAB, Student Government, etc.) may not
be employed as a RA if compensation for that position
is commiserate with more than 10 hours per week
as such a position is considered secondary employment.
Given
the important commitment a RA has to make to his
or her community, as well as time demands on the
Resident Assitant position, Resident Assistants
are limited to no more than 10 hours of employment
outside of the Office of Residence Services. Secondary
employment will be considered on a case-by-case
basis. Such employment requires advance approval
from the immediate supervisor. While supervisors
will work with staff members as they juggle a
second job, it will be expected that there will
be no scheduling, time commitment or job concerns
resulting from secondary employment and/or student
teaching, internships or extracurricular activities. RA
training is required for all staff and RAs. Pre-academic
year RA training generally takes place for the
entire two weeks prior to fall opening. A
follow-up training weekend may also be required.
Resident
Assistants will be assigned to a residential community
as determined by the Office of Residence Services. Resident
Assistants will be expected to remain in good
academic and judicial standing with the ORS and
University at all times. Resident Assistants
are not eligible to hold any elected residential
community government position. Upon leaving
the RA position (whether by termination or resignation),
the RA will not be allowed to reside in the same
community in which s/he was employed. Individuals
who quit or get terminated from their positions
prior to the end of the employment contract may
be subject to a $150.00 separation fee. The
term of the RA contract is for one academic year
only and reinstatement for the following year
is not automatic.
The Resident Assistant
position offers an attractive array of non-monetary
benefits such as enhanced leadership skills, opportunities
to grow and develop personally and professionally,
transferable job experience, ability to communicate
with a very diverse array of individuals, opportunities
to challenge yourself and try new ideas in a supportive
and non-threatening community, lifelong friendships
that form as a result of the job, in-depth in-service
and skills training, and opportunities to attend
student leadership conferences, as well as have
a lot of fun. However, the job is not for
everyone. It is important that candidates,
prior to applying for the position, reflect upon
their own capabilities and motivations for applying. You
should not do this job for financial compensation;
if you truly want to be successful you must have
a strong passion and desire in your heart to serve
the needs of your fellow students. This is
one of the best jobs you can have as an undergraduate
student but it has to be the right job for you!
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