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If I’m offered a position, when will I need to be available for training?

You’ll find this information at the end of the RA position description; it is tentatively set to begin about ten days before the residence halls open in August. See the time line for more information and dates.

Is the training in August very intensive such that you can’t do anything else?

What are the requirements for programming?

 Is it feasible for an RA to also be a varsity athlete?

 Can I go home on the weekends?

 How often is an RA actually on duty?

 What if you have an exam and you get paged?  Do you share or trade with others?

 Is it a requirement of the RA position to work at a building’s front desk?

Is the training in August very intensive where you can’t do anything else?

Yes, it is.  We ask that RAs plan no other appointments or responsibilities during our pre-announced training periods.  This is something about which we are quite strict.

What are the requirements for programming?

We have a Departmental Programming Philosophy (why we think programming is important and what we hope to accomplish by doing it) out of which each Residence Hall Director creates a programming model for her or his building or area. This is the document that lays out parameters for the quantity and quality of programming.

Is it feasible for an RA to be a varsity athlete?

Yes, it is feasible.  We’ve had wonderful varsity athletes serve as RAs.  However, as we require the RA position to be an RA’s principle out-of-the-classroom responsibility, the role of athlete would have to come second to the role of an RA.

Can you go home on the weekends?

You are free to do what you will on the weekends when you are not on duty for the building.  It is expected, though, that you will inform your CDE if you’ll be out of the building for more than 24 consecutive hours.

How often is an RA actually end up on duty?

It depends on the size of your staff or area.  As you can imagine, 365 duty nights per year divided up among a staff of six RAs versus a staff of thirty RAs will be very different.

What if you have an exam and you get paged? Do you share or trade with others?

Our duty protocols state that a student staff member cannot carry the building duty phone to class with them.  She/he must either trade the entire duty with another staff member or, if her /his RHD allows, have another staff member hold the pager for them and cover while they are in class.

Is it a requirement of the RA position to work at a building’s resource center?

Yes, each RA is asked to serve a small number of hours at the hall resource center.