2011-2012 Resident Adviser Information Sessions

www.vanderbilt.edu/raisitinyou Office of Housing and Residential Education

Office of Housing and Residential Education (OHARE)

Mission Statement

The Office of Housing and Residential Education is committed to the furtherance of education beyond the classroom by providing a living and learning environment and by connecting students with faculty, staff, and the community through programming, leadership opportunities, community development, and diverse interactions.

Position Definitions:

• A Resident Adviser (RA) is part-time paraprofessional who, under the direction and supervision of the Head Resident (HR) Area Coordinator (AC), works to fulfill the mission of the department by creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment conducive for living and learning.

Being a Vanderbilt RA means being a Mentor…

• Develops and maintains positive interpersonal relationships with residents in their area

• Fosters strong sense of community amongst residents and all on campus students

• Advises and counsels residents with personal issues (within the scope of his/her responsibility)

• Mediates conflicts between residents, roommates and communities

• Serves as a referral agent to appropriate Vanderbilt and community resources

Being a Vanderbilt RA means being a Programmer…

• Emphasizes a personal and community balance

• Facilitates residents’ ability to grow holistically

• Implements programs consistent with programming requirements of the department and the residential area

• Finds creative ways to develop the Community Creed with residents (Creed Tenets: Scholarship, Honesty, Civility, Accountability, Caring, Discovery, and Celebration)

• Challenge both self and residents to be critical thinking citizens of the global community.

Being a Vanderbilt RA means being a Community Leader…

• Develops a sense of caring and civility among residents

• Maintains a sense of respect for each other and the place where you live

• Supports administrative (both Vanderbilt and OHARE) action for the benefit of the community

• Acts as a liaison to Vanderbilt and Community partners in matters impacting residents

Requirements of the RA Position

• Minimum of 2 semesters of higher education residential living experience

• GPA of 2.5

• Taking a minimum of 12 credit hours as an undergraduate or 9 as a graduate student

• Full Academic year commitment unless exception is granted by the Associate Director responsible for recruitment and selection.

• Good academic and student conduct standing at Vanderbilt University

• Willingness to uphold and abide by Vanderbilt University policy

Requirements of the RA Position Continued…

• A Full-time student

• Present for fall and spring training as well as in-services throughout the academic year

• Present for opening and closing times each semester– Fall opening– Thanksgiving closing– Winter Break Closing– January Opening– Summer Break Closing

• Available approximately 15-20 hours a week on average– Head Residents have a 20 hour commitment– Resident Advisers have a 15 hour commitment

• Aware that the primary non-academic activity of an RA/HR is their position on staff

RA Compensation Package

• Staff are provided with $2000 monetary compensation, paid at $250 over eight months

• RAs are provided with a private room

• An opportunity to earn additional compensation by performing duty responsibilities during break periods

Professional Development Skills Learned from Being an RA that will Transfer to your Future

Career– Leadership/Management experience

– Conflict Resolution & Mediation

– Listening

– Flexibility

– Time Management

– Teamwork

– Building Relationships

– Create and execute group programs

– Budget Management

– Ability to work effectively with a diverse population

(Refer to your folder for more information on skills that transfer into various professions. Provided by the Vanderbilt University Career Center)

Important things to Remember

• Applications for new staff members are due on January 22nd

• Super Friday/Saturday is on Friday February 4th and Saturday, February 5th

– This is for Resident Adviser Applicants– There will be a make up interview for those candidates that cannot make

Super Saturday. It will occur on Tuesday February 8th.

• All applicants may not be extended an invitation to Super Friday/Saturday

• Only completed applications will be processed

• You must be available for available for ALL parts of training in the spring and in the fall as a condition of accepting employment