Resident
Assistant
Resident Assistant Selection Process
Resident
Assistant's Roles and Responsibilities
Why Be An RA?
Being an RA at Umass Amherst is more then
just having another student job.
As an RA you are also a...
Community Developer: Assist and encourage
floor members to develop a livable, inclusive, and responsible
community through discussions of floor living guidelines, integration
of new students, study breaks, quiet hours, floor activities, etc.
Administrator: As part of an administrative
staff, an RA is responsible for staffing the Cluster Office while
on duty on designated evenings. Duty nights rotate according to
the staff size and the needs of the specific cluster. RAs are also
responsible for signing out back-up keys and equipment such as
brooms and game equipment. Working with and filing various paperwork
are also a part of the RA job. Another important part of the RA's
administrative role is communicating with the Resident Director
and the Assistant Resident Director through the use of various
forms and communication channels.
Programmer: Offering educational and social
opportunities for residents is an important piece of the RA's job.
Programming requirements may vary from cluster to cluster however
the departmental expectation is for each RA to offer one educational
and one social program for his or her residents each month. By
using campus resources and with the help of the Senior Staff members
and the Residence Life Resource Center, RAs offer exceptional programs
that enlighten and entertain thousands of residents each year.
Peer Counselor: As a leader in the residence
hall community, many residents will come to you for advice and
assistance for their simple and complex problems. As an RA, it
is likely that you may experience issues such as roommate conflicts
or eating disorders. It is important for all RAs to understand
how to handle every situation. During RA Training, you will be
given the tools you will need to provide students with the best
possible answers to their questions. You will also be made aware
of the proper protocol for serious and emergency situations.
Resource Person: Otherwise known as a
walking information desk, an RA will be sought out by residents
to answer questions, from the basic, "Where's the library?" to
the more complicated, "How do I set up my Internet account
and can you help me?" You will be made aware of all the resources
we have here on campus through training. You will also be encouraged
to say "I don't know the answer to that!" and to refer
the resident to someone who may.
Policy Enforcer: As a university official,
Resident Assistants are responsible for abiding by and enforcing
Housing policies. Each policy was created with the purpose of creating
a safe and non-threatening place for all members of the residence
hall community. With the new alcohol sanctions that were instituted
at the beginning of this year, the violators of the alcohol policies
will be facing much more severe repercussions for their actions.
Hopefully these sanctions will help educate students about the
dangers of alcohol abuse, deter underage consumption, and make
the residence halls safer places for everyone.
Staff Team Member: RA Staffs vary in size
depending on the size of the cluster. Each staff is supervised
by a Residence Director and one or two Assistant Residence Directors.
The staffs meet once a week to discuss the issues of the cluster
and to plan events. Meeting times are also used as a time to socialize
with your Staff Team. As part of a team, each RA is expected to
support and assist their fellow staff members. Academic Requirements
Resident Assistants must be University undergraduate
students enrolled in degree granting programs. Resident Assistants
must be free of current judicial sanctions. Prince residence hall
has been specifically designated to include graduate housing; therefore,
graduate students may be hired as Resident Assistants in that residence
hall. A 2.4 cumulative GPA is required at the time of hire and commencement
of duties. Returning RAs must maintain a 2.2 cumulative GPA to continue
in the position. RAs whose cumulative GPA does not meet departmental
requirements will have their contract terminated. The department
of Residence Life will review all RA cumulative grade point averages
every semester.
Application
The RA selection process will be conducted during the spring semester. Applying for the Resident Assistant position
requires you to fill out an application, which you can download
here
during the spring selection process. Students applying for the position are strongly encouraged to attend
one of
the information sessions. At these informational sessions you will learn
more about the Resident Assistant position, and be able to
ask any questions you may have. Applications will also be available
at the sessions. Once completed, the application should be returned
to the Residence Life Resource Center (RLRC), located in 109 Moore
Hall.
While we accept applications at any time, it is unlikely that an application will be reviewed outside of the regularly scheduled process. Applicants are advised to wait to submit their applications until the spring selection process.
Application Evaluation
Once an application is submitted,
Residence Life Staff will review it. After review, letters are
then written to each applicant informing
them of whether or not they have been granted an interview. Letters
can be picked up at the Residence Life Resource Center (RLRC),
located in 109 Moore Hall.
Interview
The interview process takes up a Saturday,
and involves two different interviews: a group interview, and
an individual interview. Each
applicant must attend one of each of these interviews. Interview
dates are set, and applicants are required to be there. Alternate
dates are available for extreme circumstances.
Group Interview
The group interview will consist
of a group of applicants together who will be given questions,
tasks, or activities
to do. Residence
Life Staff will view the applicants throughout the interview.
The Individual Interview
The individual interview consists of the applicant
being interviewed by a panel of Residence Life Staff. Residence
Life Staff will
ask a variety of questions about the position, and
the applicant will
have time to answer the questions.
Hiring
and Acceptance to Position
After the interviews, candidates will be notified
as to whether or not they have been hired. Applicants
then have
the opportunity
to
accept or deny the position by a given date.
Candidate placement notification letters
Candidate placement notification letters can be
picked
up
on
Monday, November 24, 2008 at the Residence Life Resource Center (RLRC),
109 Moore Hall.
Orientation Dates
Each new RA is required to attend
the new RA Orientation, which will be held on Dec. 8, 2008 7:00 - 9:00pm.
Training Dates
New Resident Assistants, Apartment Living Advisors and all Cluster Office Managers and Peer Mentors return for training on Monday, August 18, 2008.
Returning RAs and ALAs come back for training on Friday, August 22, 2008. All staff check into their cluster office between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.
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