Resident Assistant

BEFORE SUBMITTING, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING:

• READ THE RA JOB DESCRIPTION & REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• FILLED IN EACH SECTION ON THE APPLICATION

AN E-MAIL WILL BE SENT TO YOU SHORTLY AFTER YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR APPLICATION

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• APPLICANT MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE BY THE DATE OF HIRE

• APPLICANT MUST HAVE COMPLETED 12 COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS ON THE VINCENNES UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

• APPLICANT MUST HAVE A CUMULATIVE 2.00 GPA BY THE END OF THE SEMESTER

• APPLICANT MUST BE IN GOOD DISCIPLINARY STANDING PRIOR TO THE DATE OF HIRE

• All duties, functions, requirements, and activities listed in the RA Job Description are identified as essential to the RA position. An applicant must be able to perform all essential duties, functions, requirements, and activities of the position, either with or without reasonable accommodation.

Description of Position

• Help new students integrate and build inclusive communities

• Develop appropriate activities and events

• Facilitate regular interaction between residents on the floor and within the hall

• Hold regular floor meetings to share information and discuss concerns affecting the floor community

• Provide guidance for residents concerning homesickness, personal issues, study skills, and resources available on campus

• Attend and actively participate in floor/hall programs, functions, and events

• Provide assistance during emergency situations

• Communicate and cooperate with other members of the Housing and Residential Life staff

Community Building

• Responsible for the development and maintenance of the wing community

• Personally welcome residents, plan Welcome Back programs, and create opportunities for the students to meet one another

• Implement planned activities that address the needs of the residents and community

• Be available and accessible to the residents in your community through established hours

• Know all individuals within the community by the 3rd week of classes

• Be an information source to residents, by providing accurate information of campus activities and sharing knowledge of campus resources by maintaining an updated bulletin board

• Actively promote an environment in which residents can best meet their academic responsibilities while fully participating in the cultural, education, and social life of the university

• Offer students the opportunity to learn how to manage time, maintain good study habits, and take tests efficiently

• Uphold the principles outlined in the Student Creed

• Follow hall procedures concerning behavioral issues, including but not limited to, policy for reporting student conduct reports

• Encourage self-discipline, self-government, and a respect for individual rights among residents; encourage individual assertiveness

Leadership Functions

• Conduct yourself responsibly both on and off the campus

• Remain in good academic and disciplinary standing

• Serve as a role model for the residents in your wing

• Represent your constituents and attend meetings or functions of your hall’s Residence Hall Association(RHA), in order to communicate the needs, desires, and opinions of your wing

• Communicate information regarding student activities, hall activities/important news, and University policies and procedures to your wing

• Seek to improve the residence hall community, not only for your term of employment, but also for the future

• Serve as a concerned, non-judgmental peer advisor, whose goal is to assist residents in resolving problems

• Serve as mediator for residents in conflict with one another

• Treat residents fairly and impartially

• Identify and assist residents with personal, social, academic, or health related concerns

Administrative Functions

• Be responsible for requesting wing funds through the Program Assistant Residence Hall Coordinator

• Be responsible for preparing necessary reports and keeping records as required

• Meet as needed, and/or requested, with Housing and Residential Life staff

• Assist in educating and implementing fire and safety procedures

• Assume other duties, as needed, to benefit your wing, hall and Residential Life

• Maintain notes and logged information concerning the condition of the hall, student conduct issues, and any questions that may arise to be discussed with the Hall Coordinator during meetings

• Utilize the In and Out board daily

• Distribute and collect surveys as directed

• Be on duty for the residential community on an assigned, rotating basis, and in emergency situations

• Assist in the opening and closing of the hall each semester and at every break period, as coordinated by your Residence Hall Coordinator

• Communicate policies and their rationale to wing residents

• Confront students who fail to comply with residence hall policies

• Work scheduled Front Desk shifts

Physical and Mental Requirements

RA candidates must have the:

• Ability to read, write, understand, and speak the English language

• Ability to assist in emergency situations, which may include, but is not limited to, having the ability to quickly go up and down stairs, and having the ability to work effectively in an environment with loud noises and flashing lights

• Ability to have sufficient vision to accurately and safely assist students, families, staff, and faculty

• Ability to have sufficient cognitive ability to listen, speak, read, write, reason, and perform at a level that allows processing and understanding of materials and information presented either verbally or in written format

• Ability to interpret written and oral instructions, manuals, and forms

• Ability to remain emotionally stable under stressful situations

• Ability to recognize when a problem exists and maintain composure in difficult situations

• Ability to use good judgment and remain calm in high-stress situations

• Ability to speak clearly in order to communicate with students, families, staff, and faculty and to be understood on the telephone and in person

• Ability to function efficiently throughout an entire work shift

• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods of time

• Ability to cope with conflict, anger, and stress

• Ability to lift, carry, and balance 25 pounds

• Ability to document, in writing, all relevant information in prescribed format

Standards of Behavior

• RAs must abide by Vincennes University Standards of Student Behavior, Residence Hall Policies, Federal, State, and Local Laws.

• Consensual sexual or romantic relationships between Residence Hall Staff and residents are prohibited with any student on his or her floor or in his or her building. Residence Hall staff members who fail to withdraw from participation in activities or decisions that may reward or penalize a student with whom the staff member has or has had a romantic or consensual sexual relationship will be subject to disciplinary actions.

***In addition to the above expectations, staff will be held to the following employment policies:

Staff development:

Resident Assistants are required to participate in training sessions that are designed to increase their competence for work in the residence hall system. Such sessions include:

• Beginning of semester workshop

• Hall staff meetings

• All hall staff meetings

• In Service training sessions

• Any absence from such sessions must be cleared in advance with the Residence Hall Coordinator or Assistant Residence Hall Coordinator.

• Required holiday duties:

• Resident Assistants will be required to work holiday/breaks. The Residence Hall Coordinator will coordinate these holidays.