Resident assistant

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A resident assistant, commonly shortened to "RA" is a trained student leader, within a college or university, charged with supervising students living in a residence hall. Many schools have different terminologies for this position; the more frequently used also include "senior resident", "student assistant", "community advisor", "resident advisor", "residence hall assistant", "floor fellow", "house fellow", or "don". The RA selection and training processes, while varying from college to college, are usually quite rigorous and intense. RA training often consists of real-life incident simulations, and team-building exercises.

1 Job benefits
2 Job duties and responsibilities
3 United Kingdom
4 Trivia
5 Notable RAs
6 External links

[edit] Job benefits

RAs are commonly the most direct liaisons between a school's student affairs administration and its student body. Tangible benefits of the RA position are generally intended as means of improving/increasing the RA's ability to identify and address the needs of their residents, as well as a way to compensate for the increased responsibility and demands on time that the RA agrees to accept by virtue of the position. These benefits vary greatly from institution to institution, and may include a single residence hall room (for assured privacy when counseling other students), parking permits, financial compensation/stipends, meal-plan, and/or significant discounts on room-rate (including full compensation). Arguably more important are the intangible benefits of the RA position, which include training in crisis management, negotiation and advocacy, advertising, time-management, ice breakers, etc. RAs are often prepared, by virtue of the demands of their position, to make successful transitions from the college environment to the job market, since they can demonstrate leadership training, management skills, and community involvement as part of their collegiate experience.

[edit] Job duties and responsibilities

Image:ResidentAssistant.JPG

Typically RAs are assigned "duty" periods during which they must patrol a residence hall or campus area to ensure that any maintenance or facilities-related issues are addressed, that institutional policies are being observed, and generally to ensure that the residence hall is an environment supportive of the educational pursuits of the students. An RA is also expected to be available to offer support for students encountering issues such as roommate conflicts, depression, and alcohol or drug abuse on a day-to-day basis.

RAs often are required to plan and facilitate events (often called Programs) for the residents in order to enhance the living community within the hall. These programs can take almost any form, ranging from community service projects, to social events such as watching movies, to educational programs where a topic is explored or a skill (eg: cooking, laundry, time-management, etc.) is taught. These programs are usually designed to build community between residents, help resident develop academic skills, hone leadership skills, or simply encourage personal growth and understanding in a particular area. In some cases, RAs are required to be trained in CPR and respond to medical emergencies. RAs at some schools have also had to respond to violent confrontations between students. At other universities, RAs are not allowed to physically touch students due to legal ramifications, these responsibilities of RAs differ on a case-by-case basis. As the RA position is primarily administrative in nature, RAs are often not permitted to cross such legal boundaries as search and seizure of property, and room entry without a resident's permission. In such cases where this is necessary, RAs defer to local authorities.

Although RAs are sometimes stereotyped as "goody-goodies," the RA position is one of the most sought after student leadership / student employment positions on many college campuses.

[edit] United Kingdom

In at least one university in the United Kingdom, the "resident assistant" term has come into use, replacing the term "sub-wardens", however the job has much less focus on improvement of student life and is more so that the site keeps 'ticking over' when staff are not present, such as on nights and weekends.

[edit] Trivia

New York University has one of the largest body of Resident Assistants in the United States. Over a span of 23 undergraduate residence halls and roughly 12,000 residents, NYU has 292 RAs. This averages out to be 41 residents per RA.