In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to conform to the following:
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Assist the Director of Residence Life and Housing with supervising the Resident Assistants with managing the duty calendar, programming efforts, and keeping the Director of Residence Life and Housing up-to-date on all things related to building a great community within the RA staff.
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Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other supervisors, coworkers, customers, vendors, agencies, etc.
**Company Conformance Statements
In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to
conform to the following:
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Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with supervisors, coworkers, customers, vendors, agencies, etc.
The Resident Assistant (RA) Mission
The purpose of being a resident assistant (RA) at Vaughn College is to ensure the celebration of diversity and community. They encourage the regular practice of community building with all students at Vaughn College, regardless of sex, orientation, gender, age, social background, or economic status, through their daily interactions inside and outside the Residence Hall.
This is approximately a 20-25-hour-per-week position and is comprised of both “active” time (around 10-15 hours) and “available” time (around 10 hours). Active time involves, but is not limited to, the following:
Position Purpose
The Resident Assistant (RA) is a student leadership position. The RA facilitates the personal development of students who reside on campus through creating a sense of community in alignment with the College’s mission. This is done through providing the residents with structure, opportunities for growth, and resource referrals to campus entities. The RA should be familiar with the College’s residence life policies and the College’s code of conduct, as the RA is expected to document and intercede with the adherence of peers to the policies as stated in The Student Handbook and other College catalogs. The RA is expected to, through effective programming, provide resident students with the opportunity to experience the College’s Core Values (Demonstrate Integrity, Embrace Diversity, Practice Collaboration, Achieve Impact, Choose Courage). The RA should be well versed in the overall services provided by the College so that she/he may serve as a resource to consult on concerns raised by resident students and/or provide referrals to appropriate offices/departments to support student success.
Major Responsibilities/Duties/Functions/Tasks
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Serve as a peer role model who is both generally knowledgeable about the campus and exemplifying high standards of behavior, i.e., integrity, communication, trustworthiness, etc.
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Contribute to a vibrant living community by assisting residents in their adjustment to college, acclimation to community living, cooperating with roommates/suitemates, and sharing community spaces, i.e., lounges, kitchen, laundry facilities
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Design and implement engaging experiences for residents/floor members that enhance the social, educational, community, and personal development of residents and connects them to the floor, building, and College community.
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Promote an inclusive atmosphere and relate well to individuals of all ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds, encouraging better understanding of diversity and embracing differences on the floor and in the residence hall.
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Contribute to, and assist in the gathering of, assessment, both to understand levels of satisfaction and to gauge if learning outcomes have been attained.
**Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty
satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill
and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals
with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience Requirements:
Availability
All RAs are expected to live in the residence hall which is required to successfully carry out the responsibilities in their job description and expectations. RAs will not be in class when serving on the duty(s) they have self-selected. In the rare event that the RA must be in class; while serving on duty, they will seek permission from the Director of Residence Life, before this can occur.Time away must be pre-approved by the Director of Residence Life.
Time off will not be considered before the first weekend of the respective semester the RA is working after classes start and during the last two weeks of each semester. Time off will not be considered during peak dates as determined by the Residential Life and Housing Office.
Basic Expectations
It is expected that RAs will fulfill all the duties outlined in this position description with enthusiasm and commitment. Failure to uphold any basic expectation may result in job disciplinary action or immediate dismissal.
A. The Vaughn College Residence Hall is expected to be the primary residence of each RA, to ensure an appropriate level of presence in the hall and effective community building.
B. The RA position is expected to be each RA’s primary and/or sole job, and their priority after their educational program. Any other employment such as an internship or other job, whether on-campus or off-campus, needs to be approved in advance by the Director of Residence Life and Housing.
C. RA staff members are expected to maintain a consistent, regular presence in the hall and have flexibility to assist with unexpected community issues that may arise. RAs who need to spend more than 2 consecutive nights away from the residence hall must request advance approval from the Director of Residence Life and Housing. No more than 1 full weekend away per month will be approved.
D. RAs must be present and available before the start of each semester on the date specified by the Director of Residence Life and Housing, in order to participate in training and assist with building preparations for student move-ins. RAs also must be present and available until after each semester ends to assist with closing the residence hall and other related tasks.
E. RAs hired in the fall semester are expected to maintain eligibility in the spring semester for the continuity of the residence hall community.
F. The responsibilities of the RA position include being a community-builder, resource person, programmer, policy enforcer, administrator, and role model.
G. As a representative of the College and the Residence Life staff, RAs are expected to maintain a high level of job performance, behave ethically, and uphold College and departmental policy. It is implicitly understood that RAs will respect confidential issues and manage master keys appropriately.
H. As a representative of the College and the housing staff, RAs are expected to abide by and enforce all Vaughn College Community Standards, Human Resources policies, and Federal/State/Municipal Laws anywhere on campus or in Vaughn College owned or leased property.
Academics and Behavioral Good Standing:
Vaughn College is committed to seeking applicants with strong academic skills to serve as peer leaders. Candidates must have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average to be considered for an RA position. Students with serious judicial violations will not be considered for an RA position. Anyone with special circumstances regarding GPA or judicial status should contact the Office of Residence Life and Housing.
Administrative
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Assist in special events where Residence Life and Housing play an important role (i.e., Open Houses, Accepted Students Days, New Student Orientation, Springfest, Food Service Committee, and other events Vaughn College decides RA presence is needed.). The specific date and times of these events will be shared in advance.
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Adhere to monthly calendar (new bulletin board presentation due the first of the month, conduct health and safety inspections the first week of the month, and host at least one program and floor meeting).
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Collaborate and communicate with the residence hall staff (checking college email, participating in group chats, contributing to hall meetings, stopping by the residence life office and checking RA mailboxes no fewer than every other day for updates).
On-Duty
RAs are considered front-line residence life staff and should expect to be visible and accessible during duty days. RAs are expected to conduct duty rounds to observe and document building anomalies and to interact with the student residents they may encounter during the walk through. While on-duty, RAs may attend programs sponsored by peer RAs or be called upon to respond to lockouts, questions/concerns, emergency situations, and to document suspected policy violations.
It is expected that RAs will be available on the day(s) they are assigned for on-call duty. If there is a need for switching coverage between RAs, both RAs need to send an email to the supervisor to be approved.
Policy Enforcement and Safety
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Educate, interpret, and hold residents accountable for community standards and College policies by assisting residents in developing a sense of responsibility for themselves and accountability for the living environment.
Professional Skills
If any of the expectations listed in this job description are not met, the Resident Assistant may be placed on probation. During that probationary period, the RA must adjust their performance to meet those expectations, or the staff member may be released from his/her position.
Work environment and physical function
The position is in both an office environment and a more casual floating environment. Generally, an employee needs to be able to sit, stand, and navigate throughout the residence hall inclusive of an office area, the lounges, and the hallways. The office equipment either individually used or shared with the department is the responsibility of all employees, inclusive of the student staff.
Preferred Skills/Experience:
****Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. ****
The position covers an RA’s full room and board (housing and a declining balance meal plan) charge during the time of employment. And a stipend within the range of $5,000 ($250 stipend per pay cycle) per year will also be provided.
Hours: (include if evening or weekends or attendance at functions are required)
Monday to Friday: yes Hours: vary depending on activities
Evenings: yes as needed Weekends: yes
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