RAs are live-in student team members in the Residence Education and Housing Services department. RAs assist in supporting an on-campus residential community and have specific responsibility for connecting with students in a particular area. RAs work to establish inclusive communities that foster student academic and social success. The primary strategies for fostering student success include supporting students’ academic achievement through referrals and recommendations for academic resources, serving in an on-call/emergency response capacity and connecting with community members through various engagement strategies.
RAs are responsible for assisting students individually and in groups. An RA's primary role is to facilitate the creation of a positive environment that supports students' academic and personal success. For these environments to develop, RAs must make significant connections with their residents, help residents get to know each other, and connect residents to resources and opportunities within the University. Strategies for success include maintaining individual and group contact, having a thorough knowledge of campus resources, building rapport and connections with residents, planning and implementing activities and responding to community and individual concerns.
Most RA positions are located in traditional residence halls for the academic year. RA positions in Owen Hall, Van Hoosen Hall, and 1855 Place (which includes University Village) have slightly different requirements/conditions.
PILLARS OF THE RESIDENT ASSISTANT ROLE
The following 6 categories are pillars of the Resident Assistant role. To meet expectations of the role, RAs will strive to exemplify each value category.
PILLARS OF THE RESIDENT ASSISTANT ROLE
- Administrative Skills: effective management of operational tasks, systems, and communication needs with an understanding of institutional policies and protocols
- Conflict, Care, and Community Education: address needs with empathy while upholding community standards and facilitating supportive resolution of interpersonal or behavioral concerns
- Community Engagement & Belonging: facilitating an engaging and welcoming environment that supports all students, staff and community members in feeling a sense of belonging
- Leadership, Facilitation, and Collaboration: committing to ongoing learning, partnership development, and elevation of skills
- Residential Learning Experience: intentionally designing and implementing strategies that support personal growth, community development, academic engagement, and intercultural competence
- Safety & Security: maintaining an environment where students, staff, and community members feel safe through responsible actions, crisis response, and education on policies
BONA-FIDE OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
The applicant's sex as designated in the StuInfo system is a determining factor for placement in same-sex residential communities (i.e., male residential wing requires male-in-StuInfo RA). Students are responsible for providing and updating their gender information in the StuInfo system through the Registrar’s Office. The Department of Residence Education and Housing Services is dedicated to providing safe and comfortable living environments for all students, including those whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.
CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
- The Resident Assistant must be enrolled in a degree granting program at MSU.
- The GPA requirement is a cumulative 2.5. Resident Assistants are expected to meet that requirement and to maintain it during their period of appointment. (The GPA requirement for MSU Law Students is a 2.2)
- Resident Assistants must have completed at least 12 credit hours.
- Once appointed, Resident Assistants are expected to be enrolled full time, however, Resident Assistants may request to drop below full time enrollment for specific circumstances and only with prior written approval from a supervisor.
- First semester Resident Assistants may not student teach or hold internships. After the first semester, experiences which will take the Resident Assistant away from their building for significant time blocks are discouraged, and must be approved by the Community Director and Assistant Director before they are accepted.
- It is understood that the Resident Assistant position cannot easily be translated into hours worked per day or week because of the unique nature of the position. The Resident Assistant position requires regularly scheduled responsibilities and times at which Resident Assistants are available and accessible to floor residents.
- Resident Assistant position offers are for the full academic year (fall and spring semesters). Resident Assistants may request to return the following year, and reappointment is based on their performance.
- Resident Assistants may be required to provide duty coverage over break periods.
- A criminal background check will be conducted on candidates who accept a resident assistant appointment.
REMUNERATION
Remuneration is a single room with board while school is in session.
NOTE: In instances where housing demand exceeds availability, RAs may be temporarily assigned a roommate.
