Resident Assistant

Resident Assistants (RAs) are an integral part of the Tyler Junior College Residential Life and Housing Department.

RA is a paraprofessional staff member that is appointed for one academic year and has direct and constant contact with residents in their community of floors of approximately 25 to 60 students in buildings ranging in size of approximately 40 to 460 students. The Resident Assistant, working with the Residence Director/Area Coordinator, the Division of Student Affairs, and the Tyler Junior College is responsible for meeting the goals of Residential Life and Housing Department:

1. Establish an integrated academic and residential learning experience
2. Create a climate and culture within the residence hall which are conducive to academic success
3. Personalize the first year student experience and continue engaging sophomores into the community and campus.
4. Provide clear expectations to students regarding academic achievement and be a resource for them to achieve academically.
5. Provide clear expectations to students regarding community standards in the residence hall
6. Encourage high quality faculty, staff and student interaction in all residence halls and on-campus.
7. Promote safety and security within the residence hall.
8. Create a framework for the development of life-long learning skills.
9. Foster the development of critical thinking skills.
10. Encourage and support student involvement and leadership.
11. Encourage responsible decision making and accountability.
12. Encourage healthy choices and personal well-being.
13. Assist Tyler Junior College in recruiting and retaining quality students and potential Resident Assistants.

Primary Functions

Daily Operations

Each hall will be staffed each evening (8:00 PM –Midnight) with the duty RA and a reasonable number of staff members, to be determined by the Building Supervisor.

RAs:

1. Understand, support, follow, enforce and educate students about Tyler Junior college objectives, policies, regulations and Student Guide to Living on Campus.
2. Work duty nights every other day as worked out with other RAs and assigned by Resident Director/Area Coordinator.
3. Work every other weekend as worked out with other RAs and assigned by Resident Director/Area Coordinator.
4. Work the desk in Residential Life and Housing Department office or Ornelas Hall for 5 hours per week. (This will be set up as permanent shifts during Fall and mid-year training)
5. Will take responsibility for weeknight duty or weekend duty where special coverage is deemed necessary.
6. Will accept special staffing duty as necessary (i.e. selected athletic games, weekends before finals, days when the College is closed due to weather or other emergencies, etc.)
7. Must attend and participate in Fall Training and mid-year training.
8. Must attend and participate in all staff meetings.
9. Must be available through the end of each semester for closing of the residence hall. (RAs should plan on not leaving campus until few days after semester hall closing, if needed.)
10. Must participate in selected opening week and other special activities.
11. Ensure students are aware on how to place a maintenance work order and communicate with Building Supervisor on outstanding work orders.
12. Communicate with Building Supervisor about problems concerning cleanliness/maintenance on floor.
13. Report all emergencies and serious situations to your Building Supervisor.
14. Complete all paperwork promptly and accurately in accordance with the request of the Building Supervisor.
15. Keep the Building Supervisor informed of floor activities, problems, concerns and general floor atmosphere.
16. Assume other responsibilities as designated by the Building Supervisor in order to promote an environment conducive to student development and academic success.
17. Assume responsibility for reading and understanding information in the RA Manual.
18. Must check voicemail and email messages twice daily.
19. Will complete other duties as assigned by the Residential Life and Housing Department.

NOTE: A Resident Assistant is expected to abide by residence hall policies and exhibit professional conduct at all times in the residence hall. For example, alcohol use is not permitted in the residence halls. Furthermore, at no time is a staff member to abuse alcohol or be impaired to perform their job responsibilities even if the alcohol use occurred off campus and/or if the staff member is of legal age to consume alcoholic beverages. A single incident may be grounds for immediate dismissal. Please refer to the training materials describing the types of behaviors that can prove problematic.

Requirements

1. RAs must maintain a minimum 2.25 undergraduate cumulative grade point average at the time of assumption of duties as a Resident Assistant, with preferences given to those applicants with a 2.5 undergraduate grade point averages.
2. If at any time a RA falls below a 2.25 cumulative grade point average, his/her retention will be based on an individual counseling session with the Director of Residential Life and Housing
3. RAs must be enrolled as full-time students. RAs wishing to take credits outside these parameters may do so only after consultation with and approval by the Assistant Director of Residential Life and Housing.
4. RAs that have internship assignments need to be aware of the unique time demands and scheduling difficulties involved with fulfilling both responsibilities. The RA’s decision to accept internships should be discussed with the Assistant Director of Residential Life and Housing prior to signing the employment agreement.
5. RA must maintain good standings with Tyler Junior College and Residential Life and Housing Department and may not be in any type of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension.
6. RAs must serve in the residence hall assigned and understand that reassignment can happen at any time depending on need of department.
7. If a RA is terminated by Residential Life and Housing Department, he/she is not allowed to live in the hall in which he/she was employed. Depending on circumstance, the RA may not be able to remain on-campus.
8. If a RA terminates his/her employment, does not renew their appointment, or is terminated by Residential Life and Housing Department, he/she is subject to the policies identified in the housing contract concerning refunds, forfeitures, and repayments. A RA’s room assignment and room and board waivers end when the RA is no longer an RA.
9. RAs must be at least 18 years old at the time of application and a minimum of one semester living in residence hall, preferred.
10. RA must accept employment for a full academic year (August-May). Summer positions are available on an as needed basis.

Application