Resident Advisor Job Description 2011 12Final - Simmons College

Resident Advisor Job Description 2011-2012 Academic Year
General Qualifications
The Resident Advisor (RA) is a full-time undergraduate or graduate student who, under the supervision and
direction of the Residence Hall Director, serves to help educate, counsel, advise, support, students. An RA helps
with the administration of the floor and hall, acts as a role model for the Simmons community, and operates as a
team member with the hall staff and Residence Life staff in general. The RA works to create and maintain a healthy
environment for the academic and personal growth of the students within their assigned living unit. In carrying out
their duties, the RA is expected to treat other students, supervisors, and fellow RAs with courtesy and respect. RAs
should display qualities of maturity, leadership, responsibility and sound judgment. The RA must be a registered
student and maintain an appropriate cumulative GPA. The RA must be in good standing with the Office of
Residence Life and with Simmons College.
Term of Appointment
The term of appointment begins on Monday, August 15, 2011 and ends on ends on the day following undergraduate
commencement for the class of 2010, or on the day following the end of the graduate license agreement in the case
of RAs assigned to graduate halls. The term of appointment is for one academic year except in the cases of mid-year
hire. Reappointment each academic year is based upon: 1) overall job performance; 2) performance evaluations; 3)
a written application; 4) a personal interview; and 5) the needs of the department.
Compensation
The RA position receives $10,000 room and board charges for the academic year, 2 nd year RAs will receive $10,500
and Head RAs will receive $11,000. Half of the credit for room and board charges will appear on the RA’s college
bill at the beginning of the first semester and half at the beginning of the second semester. The RA is responsible
for paying all other room and board fees, as well as other fees prescribed by the College by the deadlines stated in
the bill and other College publications. Failure to uphold financial obligations may result in dismissal from the
position and eviction from the residence halls.
Academic Standards
RAs must meet their academic obligations successfully. All RA applicants and RAs hereby authorize the Office of
Residence Life to access their College records. This includes providing Residence Life with unofficial transcripts if
requested. All new RA applicants are required to have an absolute minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at the time of
application. If, during the term of employment, the RA’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.5 but remains above a 2.4,
the RA will meet with her/his immediate supervisor to develop an academic plan. This plan will be detailed in a
letter of warning with copies for the RA, the RA’s file, and appropriate supervisors. It is then expected that the RA
will demonstrate significant academic improvement (.5 or better) during the following semester. If this does not
occur, additional action may be taken. In addition, the RA is expected to keep her/his RD informed of any concerns
s/he may have regarding meeting this requirement.
If, at any time, the RA’s GPA falls below a 2.3 s/he may be terminated so that the student can focus more time on
academic commitments.
Outside Commitments
The RA is expected to give the Resident Advisor position her/his highest priority, putting the position above all
other non-academic commitments. Although as student leaders RAs are encouraged to participate in other
activities, athletic teams, and student organizations, limits may be set by the Resident Director (RD) should
involvement significantly reduce availability or the RA’s ability to meet the job requirements set forth in this
document and the Residence Life Staff Manual. In addition, due to the heavy time constraints of the RA position,
some academic requirements such as student teaching and full-time internships may preclude a student from
holding the RA position. The appropriate RD and the Director of Residence Life will make this determination on a
case-by-case basis. Finally, other employment, on or off campus, in excess of ten hours per week is not
recommended due to the time commitments of the RA position. Any outside employment must receive prior
approval by the RA’s Resident Director and the Director of Residence Life.

Discipline
The RA will uphold and enforce behavioral expectations outlined by the College and the Office of Residence Life to
maintain a healthy, safe environment conducive to academic pursuits. The RA will be knowledgeable of the Honor
Code and all rules and regulations, and will be able to explain them to students in a supportive way. The RA will
confront and respond to all violations of rules and regulations by intervening and resolving minor violations, filing
reports at the time of the incident, appearing at hearings, and otherwise supporting the Residence Campus and
Simmons College Disciplinary System.
Training
Attendance at all training sessions is mandatory including pre-appointment training in the Spring of 2010. RAs
who are unable to attend an individual session due to an academic conflict must seek the approval of the Director of
Residence Life. The RAs will also be expected to attend the COF (Colleges of the Fenway) RA Events (one in the fall
and one in the spring semester).
Newly hired RAs will be expected to participate in Housing Selection work hours as part of training to become a
part of the RA staff. RAs hired for the 2011-2012 academic year will work during both the 2011 selection and 2012
selection processes.
Ongoing trainings
All RAs are required to participate in two continued training nights in the Fall Semester and two continued training
nights in the Spring Semester. These In-vogue trainings will provide an opportunity for the entire staff to reconnect
and also to continue training and development on an up-and-coming current topic for RAs.
Availability
RAs must return to campus approximately 14 days prior to fall opening and 2-4 days prior to spring opening. RAs
are required to remain in their residence halls until after closing procedures for each semester, holiday or vacation
period, or until released by their RDs.
Meetings
RAs must attend all weekly staff meetings and regularly-scheduled individual supervisory meetings with their RDs.
These meetings are mandatory and no commitment outside of academics will be honored. Prior approval of the RD
is required for RAs with an academic conflict. In addition to duty hours, RAs are expected to be generally available
on their floors and are encouraged to maintain a minimum of five (5) posted open door hours each week.
Community Development
RAs are responsible for encouraging student involvement in shaping community in the building, being
knowledgeable enough about university resources to help students find their niche in the wider campus
community, and being regularly available and accessible to address residents’ needs or concerns. RAs are expected
to perform as a mediator in conflicts among residents and staff, within the limits of personal capabilities.
(Information about conflict mediation is available in the RA manual to assist you with this aspect of your job.) In
addition, RAs should also work cooperatively with residents to ensure an environment, which displays respect for
the rights and privacy of others and promotes consideration of individual needs in a group living environment and
respond appropriately to students in crisis (physical, emotional, etc.) through assessment, referral to experienced
professionals and follow-up. It is also essential that an RA understand and educate residents about College and
Residence Hall policies and regulations.
Role Modeling and Attitude
RAs should convey a positive attitude towards the RA position and its duties and responsibilities. RAs are expected
to comply with the College sexual harassment and non-discrimination policies involving both fellow staff members

and residents. Furthermore, RAs must act as a positive role model both for fellow staff members and residents by
not participating in questionable or unethical behavior. It is assumed that RAs will treat fellow employees and
students with courtesy and respect.
Programming
RAs are expected to work closely with their staffs, their RDs and available college resources to provide programming
and educational opportunities appropriate for their residents. In addition to the programming responsibilities
detailed in the RA manual, RAs are expected to change their bulletin boards each month. The RA is expected to
select topics of interest, educational value or related to the season, which are appropriate for a residential
community.
Diversity
In accordance with Simmons College’s Diversity Initiative, the RA must actively foster an environment supportive
of diversity and individual differences, through programming, individual actions, and modeling appropriate
behavior. Modeling appropriate behavior includes, but is certainly not limited to, refraining from all bias laden
terms and actions that discriminate against people of any race, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual
orientation, age, learning ability, physical ability, and/or marital status.
Administrative Responsibilities
Each RA is expected to conduct administrative responsibilities in a thorough and timely manner. S/he is required
to be available before, during, and after opening and closing periods of each semester. During this time, and
throughout the year, the RA will be responsible for performing routine room inspections, completing Room
Condition Reports (RCRs), and assisting with resident check-in/out. Within the first week of each semester, the RA
will conduct thorough occupancy checks and submit this information to the Office of Residence Life within stated
deadlines. At least once per semester, the RA, accompanied by an RD, will conduct Health and Safety Checks of all
student rooms. The RA will also be responsible for completing maintenance requests and following up as needed.
At least twice per semester, the RA will conduct floor meetings with the residents of her/his area. The RA will be
expected to assist with the room selection process and the Leadership Selection Process, both occurring in the
spring semester. The RA will participate in the Residence Life Staff Evaluation Process, approximately twice a year.
The RA will also be responsible for gathering information for incident reports for documentation or disciplinary
referral.
Additionally, RAs are required to check their RA mailboxes at least twice a week in order to receive the most up-todate
information and to deliver and/or post all flyers and campus information on a regular basis. RAs must also
check daily and respond when appropriate to voicemail and email and complete all paperwork as assigned by the
Residence Hall Director and submit them in a timely manner. It is also essential that RAs preserve the
confidentiality of personal information about students obtained in the course of employment and responsible
treatment of all information to which she is given access (rosters, locator cards, etc.). Please remember that RAs are
not to speak to the media, press, or parents in the official capacity of a Resident Advisor for the Office of Residence
Life without permission from their supervising Residence Hall Director or the Director of Residence Life.
Master Keys
At the beginning of the academic year, each RA will sign out a key that will give her/him access to master keys. Any
misuse or loss of the CD-1 key or master keys is grounds for disciplinary action, including termination.
Keys and key codes should only be used in an emergency when dealing with crisis situations when student health or
safety is at risk or to assist students with lockouts when on duty. Keys are not to be used as a convenience to gain
access to student rooms or common areas. Keys and key codes should never be carried around campus or taken off
campus. Keys should be returned immediately. Missing keys or key codes should be reported immediately to your
supervisor. Significant delays in reporting lost or stolen keys will result in immediate job termination.
Room Furnishings

Each RA is provided with a single set of furniture for her/his room (a single set of furniture consists of one bed, one
desk, one chair, one closet and one set of drawers). It is expected that RAs will not remove, or increase, the number
of their College issued room furniture without the consent of the Office of Residence Life and Residence Campus
Services. RA’s are not allowed to have futons non-compliant with fire code, or other furnishings not allowed in the
residence halls.
Advising
The RA will advise students on academic, social, and personal matters within the limits set forth in this document,
the Residence Life Staff Manual, and RA training. Within this role, emphasis is placed on referring students to
campus resources. To fulfill this function, an RA is expected to be knowledgeable about the types and availability of
all campus resources, and will consult with her supervisor as appropriate.
Confidentiality and Sharing of Information
RAs must share all information with their supervisor or with another College official regarding individual students,
incidents, and situations, whether they occur on or off campus, which may in any way pose a threat to the health
and well being of the student(s) or the community. RAs must make it clear to students that, as College employees,
they may not promise confidentiality. It is essential that RAs preserve the confidentiality of personal information
about students obtained in the course of employment. Sharing of student information with other students or
individuals, except with another staff member in the performance of RA job responsibilities, whether or not they are
associated with the College, are grounds for immediate termination. RAs are also expected to treat personal
information to which they have access to, such as rosters, incident reports, etc., in a responsible manner.
Enforcement of Policies
RAs are expected to abide by and enforce all College rules, regulations and policies. They should also comply with
the policies and procedures contained in the most current versions of the Resident Advisor Job Description,
Community Living Standards on the Office of Residence Life web-site and expectations and guidelines of the
supervising Residence Director. The RA is subject to the same disciplinary sanctions as other residents for violation
of residence hall rules as set out on the Community Living Standards on the Residence Life web-site or any other
applicable College rule and regulation. In addition, the RA may be subjected to staff discipline, including
termination, if the behavior that violated rules, regulations, or policies also call into question his or her fitness to be
an RA.
RAs must be responsible for thorough and accurate documentation of all violations of Residence Hall Policies,
Regulations, and Honor Code of Conduct.
On Duty Responsibilities
The RA will be part of the regular on duty schedule as outlined in the Staff Manual. This requires a physical
presence in the halls to which s/he is assigned duty from 7:00 p.m. each evening until 8:30 a.m. each morning.
The RA-on-duty will notify Public Safety of the hall(s) which she or he is covering by 7:15 p.m. each duty shift. The
RA will make a minimum of two complete rounds of the halls to which she is assigned. Additional rounds may be
required given the “tone” of the hall/campus or per the instructions of the RD-on-duty. The RA-on-duty must
ensure that notification of who is on duty is clearly posted in the entrance of the building and on each floor of all
halls for which she is responsible. When not on rounds the RA must be present in her room or on her floor within
hearing distance of her/his school phone line. The RA-on-duty must file all reports (Incident Reports,
maintenance requests, etc.) with appropriate personnel by the end of her duty shift. In the event of the loss of an
RA in an individual duty rotation during the semester, either permanently or temporarily, it is the responsibility of
the remaining staff to arrange for duty coverage until the RA returns or a suitable replacement can be found. Duty
is the responsibility of the RA assigned. When a duty switch occurs, the ORL must be notified. Also, it is the
responsibility of the RA requesting the switch to send the information in writing to the ORL and assure clear
communication with all parties.
Day Duty

Each Resident Advisor will be responsible for participating in 2-4 “Day Duty” shifts each year. These shifts take
place Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30am until 7:00pm. During these shifts, the Resident Advisor on Day Duty
will be responsible for picking up the Duty phone from the Office of Residence Life by 8:30am, and then returning
it to the Office of Residence Life between 7:00pm and 7:30pm. While on Day Duty, the Resident Advisor must stay
within a 5 minute radius from campus, and must respond to all duty calls during this time.
Vacation Duty
Well in advance of each vacation period, a representative of the central office will attempt to develop a schedule on a
volunteer basis. Hours of actual duty coverage will be determined prior to each vacation period in accordance with
the needs of the department. If suitable volunteer coverage cannot be arranged, Residence Life reserves the right to
assign RAs to the halls in which coverage is required or take other steps necessary to ensure a safe environment.
RA Selection and Room Selection
All RAs are required to participate in the RA selection and room selection processes during the spring semester.
Participation in RA selection includes attending an in-service on RA selection as applicable, participating in the
group process, participating in individual interviews as part of an interview team, and completing interview notes.
Participation in room selection includes attending a meeting on room selection procedures as applicable, and
assisting with all campus-wide lottery processes. RAs are also expected to participate in all RA selection and room
selection marketing initiatives, assist in the individual recruitment of appropriate RA candidates, and disseminate
information as directed by the Office of Residence Life. RAs may be excused from individual tasks, based on
academic conflicts, after obtaining the approval of their Resident Director and Director of Residence Life.
Probation/Termination of Employment
The undergraduate and graduate staff of the Office of Residence Life are employees of the College. As such, it is
important to provide terms of probation and termination for our staff. These terms are established to serve as a
reinforcement of our procedures in handling employment issues. It is important for all parties involved to be
knowledgeable of and understand the steps that may follow. Questions that may arise from this document should
be addressed to a Resident Director or the Director of Residence Life.
An RA may be placed on probation or terminated during the academic year should the RA fail to fulfill her
responsibilities as outlined in this document and the Resident Advisor Manual. Any RA who is terminated will
most likely be relocated from the hall in which s/he held the RA position.
Reasons for probation include failure to uphold job responsibilities, failure to report for assigned duty shifts,
repeated lateness for assigned duty, lending hall equipment and/or supplies without following proper procedures,
failure to attend standing meetings, and falling below the required GPA in your academic standing.
Reasons for termination include the misuse of master keys, violence in any way (contingent upon investigation),
any violation of the Residence Campus Policies, Procedures, or Standards of Conduct that result in a responsible
finding, theft or willful destruction of College property, tampering with and/or falsifying official documents of the
College, insubordination, failure to enforce policy within the Student Handbook and RA Manual, lending or using
keys to unauthorized people or for non-job related reasons, being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs while
on duty (with the exception of those drugs administered through a physician’s care).
If a situation arises which warrants possible probation or termination, the Resident Director and a member of the
Residence Life Central Staff will determine the appropriate course of action.