RESIDENT ASSISTANT
JOB DESCRIPTION & APPOINTMENT TERMS
A Resident Assistant (RA) directly reports to his/her Graduate Assistant, and/or to his/her Area Coordinator,
and is a key member of the residence life team. The RA is an undergraduate or graduate student, who is
assigned to live and work in a campus residential area serving between 45 to 65 students. While RA job
responsibilities vary somewhat according to the characteristics and needs of the different assigned areas,
the RA is responsible for creating and maintaining a living environment conducive to the academic success
and physical, social, and emotional well-being of the residents assigned to his or her area. As both a
student and a staff member, the RA must maintain the difficult balance between personal academic
responsibilities and the responsibilities of the position.
The Resident Assistant (herein referred to as I/me), (printed name) _______________________________,
accepts the Resident Assistant position at Armstrong Atlantic State University for the 2014-2015 academic
year. I understand that employment begins on August 6, 2014 and ends on May 16, 2015. In addition
to this general availability, I understand that I am responsible to be on campus and available for
work during all designated freeze periods (August 6 - 17, 2014; December 5 - 14, 2014; January 6 11, 2015; May 1 - 11, 2015). I understand that any conflicts with the period of employment must be
reconciled with the Director of Housing and Residence Life prior to accepting this position.
EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Residential Programming (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
In order to provide appropriate residential programming, I will:
1. Coordinate 3 small-group programs per semester to help residents get to know one another and
interact. These programs will serve to develop academic preparedness, campus engagement,
institutional satisfaction, and support the personal issues of residents in support of Complete College
Georgia.
2. Participate in a minimum of 1 area-wide program each semester.
3. Participate in a minimum of 1 all-staff program each year (fall or spring).
4. Support the goals of Housing and the University community by connecting residents to University
events via Armstrong Spirit programs. The general requirement is one Armstrong Spirit program per
month, per RA. Additional guidelines for fulfilling this requirement will be supplied by the area
supervisor as needed.
5. Post announcements and inform residents of upcoming Housing and University activities. Postings in
my area should be checked by me on a weekly basis to ensure they are accurate and current.
6. Contribute one 175-250 word article per year to the Residential Newsletter in support of Complete
College Georgia on an assigned topic. The month and topic will be assigned by my area supervisor.
Community Development (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
In order to provide appropriate community development, I will:
1. Set the tone in my residential area and on campus by role modeling and promoting civility, respect, and
acceptance of differences by challenging the negative and discriminatory comments of others.
2. Educate residents about Armstrong Atlantic State University and Housing and Residence Life security
concerns and personal safety, information in the Armstrong Atlantic State University Code of Conduct,
and Housing Rules and Regulations by performing a floor/building meeting at the beginning of each
semester.
3. Promote an educational environment that inspires academic success and supports residents’ rights to a
studious environment by reporting any issues related to facilities maintenance, cleanliness concerns,
bulletin board maintenance, etc.
4. Encourage residents to exercise responsibility for their community through confrontation of
inappropriate or disruptive behavior, and initiate appropriate documentation for follow-up and/or
adjudication.
5. Foster individual relationships with residents on my floor/community through one on one interaction. I
will do this by conducting, at minimum, one weekly walk through of my assigned area to speak with
residents regarding maintenance concerns and/or to disseminate information.
6. Share concerns and issues about the well-being of residents with my supervisor as needed and in CAR
reports.
7. Maintain confidentiality of resident and staff information. I understand that confidentiality is of critical
importance to establishing and maintaining mutual trust among staff members and residents.
8. Understand that safety always supersedes confidentiality. Information I receive regarding any potential
threats of harm or risks to safety should be immediately reported to the area supervisor for follow up.
Administrative Tasks (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
In order to provide seamless administrative processes within Housing and Residence Life, I will:
1. Check the Housing Student Staff website for important announcements and updates at least once a
week. (https://sites.google.com/site/armstrongraresources/)
2. Check Armstrong student email twice daily for updates, announcements and other important
correspondence from Housing and Residence Life and Armstrong Atlantic State University.
3. Serve as desk assistant/office assistant as required. My area supervisor will determine and provide
information regarding the specific coverage needs for my area.
4. Perform administrative functions as necessary (including but not limited to filing, answering telephones,
resident concern follow-up, light cleaning, office organization and other office related tasks) as needed
and requested by the area supervisor.
5. Attend events and activities, as approved and/or assigned by the area supervisor, to meet departmental
recruitment, marketing and paraprofessional development needs. These events/activities include, but
are not limited to, Pirate Previews, Navigates, Move-ins, Move-outs, RA training, RA selection and
recruitment, GA selection and recruitment, and any other program sponsored or supported by Housing
and Residence Life.
6. Participate in additional training activities (including but not limited to procedural quizzes, all-staff
meetings, mock document completion, staff evaluations, etc.) on an as needed basis to ensure that
departmental processes are being performed satisfactorily. The need, frequency and nature of these
activities will be determined and implemented at the sole discretion of my area supervisor.
7. Report maintenance work orders via the Housing Student Staff website in a timely manner and perform
appropriate follow up on submitted requests as necessary.
8. Conduct health and safety inspections, and occupancy verifications or other administrative room checks
as designated by my supervisor.
Residential Safety and Security (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
In order to promote and facilitate a safe and secure housing community, I will:
1. Consistently confront and report student violations of policies in a clear, forthright, respectful and fair
manner, in accordance with the RA duty procedures manual and associated departmental policy
addendums.
2. Appropriately document and communicate violations of institutional policies, residential living policies
and procedures, as well as law, and make appropriate referrals to area supervisor, Director of Housing
and Residence Life and the University Police Department as necessary.
3. Perform emergency response and crisis intervention management duties in coordination with area
supervisors, UPD and community resources such as ambulance and fire.
4. Inform residents of health and safety procedures including, but not limited, fire evacuation, hurricane
evacuation, tornado and inclement weather procedures, etc. during mandatory floor meetings and as
needed by Housing and Residence Life.
5. Know and perform emergency procedures within assigned area and notify appropriate agencies
concerning emergencies. Assist in evacuating my floor/building in the event of emergency evacuations
provided I do not put myself at risk.
6. Provide rotating on-call duty coverage as scheduled by my area supervisor. Participation in on-call duty
coverage is also required during special campus-wide and community events such as Celebrate
Armstrong, St. Patrick’s Day as well as in-semester breaks (Thanksgiving Break and Spring break).
* Winter break duty coverage will be an additionally compensated, voluntary duty coverage assignment
for interested resident assistants.
Dining Hall Assistance (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
In order to provide a safe and healthy environment in the dining hall/food court, I will:
1. Dine and interact with residents in the dining hall or food court on a regular basis.
2. Consistently confront, document and make referrals (when appropriate) regarding student disruptions in
the dining hall or food court.
3. Know and perform emergency procedures and notify proper individuals concerning emergencies in the
dining hall and food court.
Compensation and Benefits (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
As an RA, I will receive the following compensation and benefits:
1. 75% reduction on my room rate within an apartment style unit (single suite in Windward Commons) for
the term of appointment, with all amenities provided by the terms of the Housing Contract.
2. 10 meals per week meal plan on my Pirate Card during my employment with Housing and Residence
Life.
* Talk to your financial aid counselor prior to submitting your completed document to see how your
financial aid will be affected.
Conduct Expectations (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
As an RA, I understand that I am expected to maintain the following expectations regarding personal and
employment conduct:
1. Perform all duties and responsibilities as outlined in the Resident Assistant (RA) Expectations and
Responsibilities section and as assigned or established by professional staff.
2. Be flexible and adaptable in the completion of my duties and perform other duties as assigned to meet
the objectives of the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
3. Notify my supervisor immediately if I cannot adequately perform all duties and responsibilities as
outlined in the Resident Assistant (RA) Position Description and as assigned or established by
professional staff.
4. Not misuse/disseminate confidential information of residents and/or staff. I further understand that I may
face immediate termination at the discretion of my supervisor and the Director of Housing and
Residence Life.
5. Not misuse/abuse Housing property and/or security access equipment. I further understand that I may
face immediate termination as the discretion of my supervisor and the Director of Housing and
Residence Life.
6. Attend, in their entirety, and actively participate in all training activities, RA meetings, Departmental
meetings and programs as required.
7. If it is publically known that I am in a romantic relationship with another resident assistant, I understand
that I may be placed on a different staff than that person to prevent potential conflicts of interest.
Resignation/Termination of Position (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
With regard to possible resignation/termination, I understand that I will:
1. Face employment review, disciplinary action and/or possible termination if I violate any part of the
Armstrong Housing Rules and Regulations, Honor Code, or Code of Student Conduct.
2. Appeal terminations with a written appeal letter to the Director of Housing and Residence Life. I
understand that appeals will be considered only in cases of extraordinary, extenuating circumstances.
3. Be required to sign a housing contract for the full academic year 2014-2015. I will be given the option to
continue as a housing resident (required to pay for the remainder of my campus housing charges) or
cancel my housing assignment (required to pay current cancellation fee) if I am terminated or resign
from the RA position. If I choose to continue as an Armstrong resident after my termination/resignation,
I will be relocated to a different campus residential community.
General Acknowledgement of Appointment (Acknowledge by initialing here: __________)
I understand that for this appointment term, and any subsequent employment terms, that I must:
1. Acknowledge that I have resided in a campus housing environment (at Armstrong or another University)
for at least one full semester prior to the start of the appointment term.
2. Understand that I must be enrolled as a full-time, on-campus Armstrong undergraduate (12 hours) or
graduate (9 hours) student during each of the fall and spring semesters. I also understand that I must
inform my supervisor if dropping below 12 hours (or below 6 hours as a graduate student).
3. Not enroll in any time-intensive internships, clinical experiences, classroom student-teaching, off
campus jobs, or any other activity that will consume more than 20 hours per week of my time without
discussing these commitments with my supervisor first. Students who are deemed to be too busy to
satisfactorily complete the requirements of the position (appropriate accommodations will be made for
academic program required activities) may face termination and/or not be rehired for subsequent terms.
4. Maintain or exceed a minimum cumulative and semesterly GPA of 2.5 at the time of hire and
throughout my employment period. I give permission for Housing and Residence Life to check my
Permanent Student Record each semester to verify my GPA and enrollment status.
5. Be placed on academic employment probation and given one semester to return my GPA to 2.5 if I dip
below the requirement. I understand that I may be released from my position if I am unable to return my
cumulative and semester GPA to 2.5 by the end of my probationary semester.
6. Meet with my supervisor for academic progress checks and complete any additional requirements my
supervisor deems appropriate to achieve and maintain minimum academic standards for employment
as a resident assistant.
7. Submit a Returning RA Application (including a portfolio project requirement) for consideration for
another term of employment. I further understand that my reappointment must be approved by my
current supervisor, and that requesting to return for another term of employment does not guarantee my
employment for the next term.
8. Be placed in the community/area where Housing and Residence Life believes my skills, experiences,
and abilities will best serve the residents and the mission and vision of Armstrong Atlantic State
University. Though unlikely, I understand that extenuating circumstances could result in a mid-term
relocation to a new/different community/area.
9. Be assigned roommates without advance notice if I did not indicate a roommate preference on my RA
application.
10. Talk to my financial aid counselor to determine exactly how RA compensation will impact my financial
aid prior to accepting the RA position. I understand that my cost of attendance may be reduced due to
RA compensation and that I am solely responsible for following up on any potential impact to my
financial aid.
The terms of the RA's employment are subject to the policies and procedures of Armstrong Atlantic
State University and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. I understand the
University has the right to terminate or not renew this appointment at will. I have read, understand
and agree with the terms of this document.
Resident Assistant Signature & Date: _______________________________________________________
Direct Supervisor Signature & Date: ________________________________________________________
Department Head Signature & Date ________________________________________________________