RESIDENT ASSISTANT POSITION DESCRIPTION Department of Residence Life and Housing
Ritchie Hall 119
Akron, OH 44325-1401
(330)972-7800 The Resident Assistant Staff are paraprofessional graduate and undergraduate members of the Department of Residence Life and Housing. Resident Assistants report directly to their Residence Life Coordinators and are responsible for establishing and maintaining an atmosphere which will promote the educational, social, cultural and personal development of residents. The Resident Assistant must project a sense of caring and concern for each resident. The following enumerated responsibilities comprise the significant duties assigned to Resident Assistants. Other duties may be assigned to Resident Assistants by their Residence Life Coordinator.
Community Development
- Establish and maintain a cohesive community whose members share personal responsibility for the development of behavior norms and appropriate student conduct.
- Promote and maintain a residence hall environment which meets the physical safety, emotional security and comfort needs of all residents.
- Develop and maintain an environment in the residence halls which foster respect for individual rights, promotes community development and respects the dignity of all members.
- Assess community growth and development needs by sharing interactions with individual students and spending time on Residence Hall floor.
- Conduct a floor/area meeting at least once a month and as deemed necessary by Residence Life Coordinator.
- Meet regularly with individual residents and groups to explain and promote policies and programs, assess needs and community goals, and respond to student concerns.
- Learn and share with Residence Life Coordinator the names, background information and the academic/personal goals of residents.
Leadership Development
- Identify potential hall leaders. Support and direct their involvement in Hall Government, Residence Hall Council, Residence Hall Program Board and during floor or hall activities.
- Promote and encourage resident participation in university and community organizations and leadership roles therein.
- Attend leadership development activities and conferences as requested by Residence Life Coordinators.
- Attend all Resident Assistant and Community Assistant Training events.
- Successfully complete the Helping Skills for Resident Assistants class (Fall semester) and participate in Resident Assistant In-Services as assigned by Residence Life Coordinators.
Programming Resident Assistants are responsible for contributing to a beneficial living/learning atmosphere on the wing/floor. Specifically, a Resident Assistant is expected to:
- Initiate and implement programs and activities.
- Assist with the responses to immediate community concerns such as fire, environmental safety issues, personal or property safety issues and other topics assigned by Residence Life Coordinators.
- Assist and support the Department of Residence Life and Housing with the following initiatives while completing programming requirements as outlined in the programming model: Hall Government, Residence Hall Program Board, Residence Hall Council, National Residence Hall Honorary and the Academic Resource Center
- Assist and support Living Learning Community programs as assigned by Residence Life Coordinators.
Counseling Resident Assistants are responsible for effectively initiating the counseling and crisis response procedures affecting students experiencing personal crisis. Specifically, a Resident Assistant is expected to:
- Provide basic personal care and counsel for students experiencing student crisis or exhibiting need.
- Make student referrals to counselors, advisors and professional staff as necessary.
- Respond immediately and directly to crisis situations taking appropriate action in accordance with policies and procedures.
- Follow the directions of the Residence Life Coordinator on duty and all professional staff members. Report all pertinent information immediately.
- Notify Residence Life Coordinator of all counseling contacts.
Student Conduct Resident Assistants are responsible for responding to student behavior to ensure an atmosphere conducive to study and that physical facilities are maintained for student use in the future. Resident Assistants enfore the rules and regulations fairly throughout the residence hall and across campus. Specifically, a Resident Assistant is expected to:
- Abide by and enforce all University policies and procedures, residence hall policies and local, State and Federal laws as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, the Residence Hall Handbook and the Residence Hall Staff Manual(s). Under no circumstances should a Resident Assistant ignore the violation of a regulation or policy committed by a resident, guest or fellow Resident Assistant, nor violate regulations or policies that residents are expected to follow. Instead, Resident Assistants should confront behavior inconsistent with these policies.
- Consult with Residence Life Coordinator before, while and after enforcing policies and procedures.
- Assist Residence Life Coordinators and University staff in the implementation of The University of Akron student conduct procedures.
- Maintain accurate records of confrontation and student behavior inconsistent with the Student Code of Conduct and the Residence Hall Handbook.
Duty Participate in a duty schedule in which staff is available for their assigned building/area and conduct rounds of the residence hall(s). Hours for duty nights are 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. the following morning. Following last rounds, staff will remain available in their room for the remainder of the duty shift. Each individual Resident Assistant staff determines the duty schedule. It is to the discretion of the Residence Life Coordinator to determine the break schedule for buildings that remain open. Administration Resident Assistants are called upon to provide administrative support, which is important to the operation of the hall. A Resident Assistant is expected to:
- Attend all weekly staff and one-on-one meetings.
- Maintain timely written and verbal communication with Residence Life Coordinator and Residence Life and Housing Staff.
- Complete all assigned administrative tasks thoroughly, accurately and on time (such as incident reports, duty log reports, room condition checklists).
- Assist the Residence Life Coordinator with periodic room inspections and the proper check-in and check-out of residents.
- Check and empty staff office mailbox. Post University and Residence Life and Housing information in designated areas daily. Respond to all messages and notes promptly.
- Maintain daily contact with immediate supervisor and discuss concerns relative to job performance.
- Participate in fire drills. Lead and organize residents during and after fire alarms, tornado warnings and other community crisis situations.
- Provide timely and accurate information regarding residence hall physical facilities, maintenance needs and student safety concerns.
Additional Duties
- Participate in committee assignments organized by the Residence Life Coordinator(s) or Central Office.
- Participate in departmental initiatives that include but not limited to: Welcome Weekend, Homecoming, A Day in the Life and Priority Placement Process.
- Work two (2) hours each week at the hall Service Desk, unpaid.
- Assist in the coordinating and implementation of opening and closing of the residence halls at the beginning and end of each school year as well as during all breaks in which residence halls close.
- Participate in the selection process of student, graduate student and professional staff as directed by supervisor.
- Additional duties as assigned.
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