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Resident
Assistant Job Description
General Description:
The Resident Assistant (RA) is a paraprofessional
staff member for the Department of Residence Life.
The RA is the closest and most vital link with the
residents. Under the supervision of a Residence Life
Coordinator or Resident Director, the RA is responsible
for creating and maintaining a residence hall environment
that is conducive to living and learning. In order
to accomplish this, the RA is expected to play a
variety of constantly changing roles. The RA must
be flexible and creative in meeting the residents'
needs by serving as a counselor, advisor, community
developer, educator, and friend. The position requires
a serious time commitment and willingness to be available
and accessible to other students.
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Job Specifications:
- Be enrolled in academic classes at the
University of West Georgia.
- Cleared and/or exempted all Developmental
Studies requirements.
- A resident of a UWG residence hall for
at least one semester or have a comparable living
experience at another institution. (Current Academy
students are not permitted to be RAs.)
- Possess a genuine interest in working
with college students in a residence hall environment.
- Possess strong leadership and interpersonal
skills.
- Must possess and maintain a minimum
2.30 cumulative GPA.
- Have no outstanding judicial sanctions
and maintain a clear judicial record.
- Be available to serve on staff for two
semesters, or the remainder of the academic year
if hired after the start of fall semester.
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Remuneration:
- RAs are paid on the last day of each
month, beginning in August and ending in May of the
following year; except in Arbor View where RAs are
paid through July of the following year. In Bowdon,
Boykin, Downs, Gunn, Strozier, and Tyus RAs earn
$277.40 per month. In Arbor View Apartments and University
Suites, RAs earn $327.40 per month. All RAs receive
additional monies in August to cover the cost of
meals for training. If an RA has another on-campus
job, s/he may not be paid for that job until the
end of the month. RA raises are figured on a calendar
year. Once an RA has worked through his/her start
date, s/he will be given a raise for the following
term. The compensation package is currently under review for 08-09 and a raise
in the basic rates is anticipated. When the new rates are approved,
revised information will be posted on the Residence Life web site.
- Guaranteed on-campus housing (RAs financially
responsible). RAs are allowed a single room at double
occupancy rates when space is available.
- Opportunity to interact with a variety
of people. Chance to develop a variety of skills
including: communication, leadership, organization,
time management and counseling.
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Requirements:
By accepting employment with the Department
of Residence Life, an RA agrees to the following requirements.
- Academics: An
RA must be enrolled as a full-time student and must
be in good academic standing. This includes the following:
- Must enroll for an academic
load of not less than 12 hours.
- May not carry an academic overload
or more than 17 hours without the approval
of the Assistant Director of Residence Life
for Programming and Staff Development.
- Must maintain a cumulative GPA
of 2.30 during the period of employment.
- RA Course: Each
RA must enroll and successfully complete the course,
CEPD 4106, as soon as it is offered after appointment
to the position. The RA is responsible for tuition
for the class. The RA must pass with a "C" or better.
- Outside
Involvement: Frequently,
members of the Department of Residence Life
Staff are individuals who are involved in
many facets of campus life, leadership, sports,
and work. The RA position demands a significant
commitment of time and energy, which should
not detract from student academic performance.
Involvement in residence life activities
such as duty, staff meetings, floor and hall
activities, staff training, and quality time
with the residents must take priority over
other co-curricular and work activities.
Therefore, RAs are not to pledge a fraternity,
sorority, student teach, or hold an internship
(paid or unpaid) during the first semester
of employment. After the first semester of
employment, the RA must receive approval
from the Assistant Director of Residence
Life to be involved in any of the above listed
time commitments. In addition, RAs may not hold additional employment in excess of 7 hours
per week. RAs may not hold additional employment, on or off campus,
without the consent of their supervisors.
- Training & Development
Requirements: The skills
needed to fulfill the RA position successfully
are many. Therefore, RAs are required to
attend many skill development opportunities,
including the following:
- Weekly hall staff administrative/development
meetings.
- Summer orientation, training,
and work sessions prior to the beginning
of classes each academic semester. This training
takes precedence over any and all extracurricular
activities with which an RA is involved.
- In-service training. The RA
will be required to attend departmental and
hall specific continuing education programs
as determined by the Assistant Director of
Residence Life or building supervisor.
- Term
of Employment: The RA position
is an academic year appointment beginning
August 1 and ending when the halls close
after May graduation of the following year;
except in Arbor View, where RAs are appointed
from August 1 to July 31 of the following
year. RAs are hired on a year to year basis.
Annual review of job performance by individual
supervisors will determine continued employment
from one year to the next.
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Evaluations:
All RAs will be evaluated at least two times
a year by their building supervisor. Residence hall students
will have the opportunity to evaluate their RAs once
a year.
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Specific Responsibilities:
- Time
Commitment. The RA position
is the RAs principal non-academic activity.
The RA is expected to:
- Be available and accessible
to the students on his/her floor.
- Remain on his/her floor in the
hall during the weekdays and/or weekends
according to the duty schedule and as required
by the building supervisor. Be in the assigned
residence hall most evening hours. The RA
is expected to spend the night in his/her
assigned residence hall Sunday through Thursday,
unless s/he informs the building supervisor
and receives approval to be out of the building
overnight during the week. While RAs are
not scheduled for duty every weekend, they
should expect to stay on campus at least
two weekends a month to assist students and
foster community.
- Remain in the hall until the
building is deemed closed by the Department
of Residence Life or its designee preceding
vacation periods (Thanksgiving, winter break,
spring break, summer closing), and return
early to open the halls after a vacation
break. Requests to leave early or return
late must be submitted in writing and approved
in advance by the Assistant Director of Residence
Life. Tyus, University Suites, and Arbor
View apartments do not close for University
break periods; RAs in these buildings will
be required to stay in the buildings and
provide staff coverage over these breaks.
These hall staffs will divide the responsibility
equally amongst staff over the course of
the year; RAs will receive some additional
compensation during this time.
- Participate in extra-curricular
activities in such a way that they will not
conflict with the RA position.
- Attend regular staff meetings,
training sessions and other meetings as required
by the building director and/or Department
of Residence Life.
- Assist with the departmental
staff selection processes (RA, RD, RLC, etc.)
each semester as necessary. Participate
in University visitation days as needed.
- Community
Development. The RA is expected
to promote an atmosphere conducive to individual
and group development. The RA is expected
to:
- Know every student in his/her
assigned area.
- Be available to students for
counseling and make appropriate referrals,
while maintaining confidentiality.
- Demonstrate knowledge of referral
options within the University (i.e. Health
Services, Student Development Center) and
be able to effectively refer students for
assistance.
- Maintain an attitude of sincere
interest in the residents. Encourage an atmosphere
of courtesy, consideration, and unity among
floor and hall residents.
- Be aware of and report to the
building supervisor any illness, abnormal
behavior, long absences or special concerns
of hall residents.
- Facilitate social interaction
among the residents by encouraging attendance
at scheduled floor meetings, hall meetings,
Residence Life activities and University
activities.
- Fulfill the community development
and programmatic expectations of the assigned
residence hall and Department of Residence
Life. These include, but are not limited
to, social and educational programs and bulletin
boards.
- Encourage student interaction
with members of the University community
by involving faculty and staff in programs. Actively
participate and support the hall council
and Residence Hall Presidents' Council. Support
and attend programs.
- Administrative
Duties. The RA is primarily
administratively responsible to the building
supervisor, secondarily to the Assistant
Director of Residence Life, and is expected
to:
- Assist with administrative procedures
such as room change and roster verification.
- Assist with resident check-in
and check-out procedures.
- Maintain a West Georgia e-mail
account and check it at least once a day.
- Report and follow-up on all
necessary repairs and housekeeping problems
as specified by the building supervisor and
according to the established policies of
Residence Life.
- Supervise the use of the University's
property and facilities.
- Report room assignment concerns
to the building supervisor.
- Complete reports as specified
by the building supervisor and the Department
of Residence Life.
- Maintain regular office/lobby
hours as specified by the duty schedule and
as specified by the building supervisor.
- Perform other duties as assigned
that relate to the operation of the hall.
- Discipline
and Student Conduct. By
accepting employment with the Department
of Residence Life, the RA has accepted the
responsibility to know, understand, and abide
by the University of West Georgia's policies,
procedures, and regulations. RAs are responsible
for all materials and information provided
in the Residence Life Sourcebook. RAs serve
as role models and their behavior should
convey an image of responsibility and maturity.
Violations of regulations by RAs, or encouragement
of residents to violate UWG policies, will
not be tolerated and could result in immediate
termination. An RA is expected to:
- Encourage by example the principles
of individual responsibility and respect
student development.
- Assist students in knowing what
is expected of them and the reasons for these
expectations.
- Explain, support, follow, and
enforce the regulations and policies of Residence
Life.
- Confront all behavioral infractions;
follow-up with appropriate procedures.
- Take an educational approach
when dealing with behaviors that disrupt
the normal living and learning environment.
- Emergency
Situations. The RA assists
in responding to emergency situations in
the residence halls, and is expected to:
- Know and follow the emergency
procedures as outlined in the Residence Life
Sourcebook.
- Be available in emergency situations
(i.e. tornado, fires) and at scheduled fire
drills.
- Conduct safety inspections at
least once a semester and assist with evacuation
drills.
- Report individual emergencies
to the building supervisor and/or Public
Safety.
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