Resident life assistants. RAs. The people who provide you toilet paper and make sure you keep a shoe in the door during open dorm. Also the people who provide listening ears, fun nights with the Wii and the occasional run to the ER.
The work of an RA seems pretty clear from the outside — to help out with life in the dorm.
The official job description reads, “An RA serves a residence hall floor by cultivating an environment that fosters community through caring relationships, an attitude of service, words of encouragement and a willingness to lovingly discuss breakdowns in integrity.”
All of those big words translate into this — being an RA is about people first.
“More than most people on campus, RAs have an opportunity to speak into the social, spiritual and physical areas of people’s lives,” said Michael Cox, director of residence life.
TAnd because of that, Cox has been working to fine tune the selection process and build a strong support system for RAs.
Cox has held two informational meetings open to interested students. Hall directors and current RAs answered questions and Cox went over the application packet.
“One frequent question was ‘where will I be an RA at’?” Cox said. “We want to be intentional about placing people where they will fit. We’re going to offer jobs to as many openings as we have and place the RAs after they’ve accepted. But we will take preferences into consideration.”
Cox has also strengthened communication between hall directors and RAs. RAs have weekly meetings with their hall director and there is a staff meeting once a month, so the opportunity to grow is on both sides.
“I feel like the department as a whole puts a lot of time and effort into mentoring us as RAs and as campus leaders,” said sophomore Casie Neal, RA for first floor, Perrin. “Sometimes it’s good to know that they’re having the same issues on their hall that you’re having on yours.”
Cox also plans to start a training retreat that will be before both the fall and spring semesters.
“It’d be a time that RAs get to know each other, which in my mind we achieve by having fun together, and also equip them for the job,” Cox said. “At the end of the year we will have a debriefing retreat where we cook out, go play at the lake and have a good time of reflection.”
So while RAs may have to participate in two “in nights” a week and manage check-in, check-out and maintenance requests, being an RA gives people the chance to build new relationships.
“It can keep you on your toes sometimes, but overall it’s been what I expected,” said sophomore Ben Clardy, RA for third floor, Daniel North. “The guys on my floor are great and I really like interacting with them.”
And in those relationships, RAs can create exactly what the job description calls for — “an environment that fosters community.”
“Hanging out in my girls’ rooms and talking about life, having a hall progressive dinner and starting the ‘Open Dorm Random Question of the Evening’ i.e. what do you miss most about the 90s? definitely top the memory list,” Neal said.
Those interested in being an RA should have already started the process and spoken with Cox or their current RA. Applications are due Friday, March 6 at 4 p.m.
