Student Staff Positions

    Residential Life hires students for Resident Assistant Director, Assistant Area Coordinator, Resident Assistant, and Desk Staff positions. 

    Resident Assistant Director (RAD)

    In a typical year, there are two RADs. Resident Area Directors  are experienced, upper-class student leaders trained to provide additional support and supervision to RAs and supervision to a portion of the RA staff. RADs assist in major departmental programs and initiatives. Prior experience as a RA is required. 

    Resident Assistant Director Position Description

    The Resident Area Director position is a paraprofessional position. Applicants should be experienced Resident Assistant (RA) staff members who demonstrate active leadership, positive role modeling, and a coherent understanding of the missions of Department of Residential Life and Student Affairs. Individuals should be highly motivated, creative, energetic, and possess the skills necessary to foster a team-oriented attitude among the Residence Life staff. Applicants interested in a career in higher education, residence life, and/or student affairs are highly encouraged to apply.

    • Mentor, coach, and develop a team of RA in an identified zone
    • Coordinate and lead weekly zone meetings
    • Meet bi-weekly with RA staff members in individual one on ones
    • Complete weekly walkthroughs of buildings in designated areas, submit maintenance requests and communicate with Assistant Area Coordinator (AAC)
    • Meet weekly with Area Coordinator (AC) supervisor and AAC
    • Assist with RA training sessions (Fall/Winter)
    • Complete semesterly evaluations with their Resident Assistant Staff
    • Attend and participate in monthly departmental meetings
    • Maintain communications and interactions with residence hall students, RA staff, and professional staff
    • In cooperation with the AC, actively work with RA staff to develop and maintain a positive living learning community within each building of the assigned zone
    • Maintain five regularly scheduled office hours a week
    • Coordinate programming efforts for your zone
    • Coach and mentor RA staff on effective programming
    • Track programming efforts to ensure effective programming across the zone RA
    • Disseminate, track, and collect paperwork as needed
    • Track and tally Resident Assistant duty nights with the other RAD and create semesterly duty calendars
    • Participate in Pro Staff weekly on-call duty
    • $2150 stipend per semester
    • RADs receive a 50% discount on their housing charge
    • Free Parking permit and reserved parking area

    Please note that candidates must have a 2.7 cumulative GPA at the time of application, be in good judicial standing with the college, and have served as an RA for at least one academic year prior to hire.

    Resident Assistant Director Interview Process

    Applications for Fall typically open up the January before.

    Applicants have to complete an online application including naming 2 references.  All applicants should bring their resume and cover letter drafts to Career Services to have them reviewed prior to submission.

    https://washcoll.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com 

    RA position evaluations are reviewed and form part of the application.

    After review of the applications, candidates are chosen to proceed to invidual interviews with professional staff and current RADs. 


    Assistant Area Coordinator (AACs )

    In a typical year, there are 2-3 AACs depending on occupancy and staffing. Assistant Area Coordinators  are student assistants to the Area Coordinators and help with the administrative tasks of managing the residence halls such as work orders, key management, or publications. Applicants are not required to have previously held a RA position but organizational skills are critical. 

    Assistant Area Coordinator Position Description

    The Assistant Area Coordinator position is a paraprofessional position. Applicants should be experienced Resident Assistant staff members who demonstrate active leadership, positive role modeling, and a coherent understanding of the missions of Department of Residential Life and Student Affairs. Individuals should be highly motivated, have strong administrative skills, creative, organized, and possess the skills necessary to foster a team-oriented attitude among the Residence Life staff. Applicants interested in a career in higher education, residence life, student affairs, and/or management are highly encouraged to apply. Resident Assistant experience preferred.

    • Co-Supervise desk staff in assigned areas with other Assistant Area Coordinator
    • Create & track office worker schedule
    • Prepare and give semesterly evaluations of desk staff with Area Coordinator
    • Manage logistics of Resident Assistant programing by updating the Resident Assistant calendar and ensuring no overlap of spaces
    • Track programming efforts to ensure effective programming
    • Track and tally Resident Assistant duty nights and create duty schedules
    • Maintain 5 regularly scheduled office hours
    • Track, collect, and audit: duty logs, roommate agreement, residence hall keys, Health and Safety Inspection checklists, etc.
    • Track and compile work orders from Resident Assistant staff in assigned area and give monthly updates to Area Coordinator for follow up
    • Co-chair one committee in conjunction with an Area Coordinator per semester
    • Attend and participate in monthly departmental meetings
    • Attend and participate in weekly area meetings
    • $1350.00 stipend per semester
    • Housing cost reduction 50% off housing bill
    • RA parking permit & reserved space

    Assistant Area Coordinator Application Process

    Applications for Fall typically open up the January before, and applications for spring (if any positions are available) typically open up October before.

    Applicants have to complete an online application including naming 2 references.  All applicants should bring their resume and cover letter drafts to Career Services to have them reviewed prior to submission.

    https://washcoll.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com 

    After review of the applications, candidates are chosen to proceed to invidual interviews with professional staff and current AACs. 


    Resident Assistant (RA)

    In a typical year, there are 45 to 50 RAs depending upon occupancy. Resident Assistants  are assigned to a floor or a residence hall. The RAs help build a community within the residence halls by getting to know residents, upholding policies, and planning floor and hall activities. RAs understand the College’s mission, procedures, policies, and the Honor Code and are instrumental in working with residents to shape community standards and respectful behavior.

    Residential Life  looks for outstanding upperclass students to fill these important leadership roles. The RAs are a respected group of students that have the ability to create opportunities for the greater campus community and the communities in their assigned halls.  They help Washington College be all it can be for every student!  

    Resident Assistant Position Description

    • Establish a positive living community which supports academic achievement and personal growth within the residence halls
    • Complete programming requirements as outlined in the programming model with an average of two programs a month and renewing hall/building bulletin boards once a month

    • Actively contribute to the development and implementation of residential life programs
    • Be familiar with residents in your building/area and contact residential life staff accordingly

    • Set an example by adhering to federal and state laws and rules and regulations of the College
    • Be readily accessible to students and accepting of their questions. Readily accessible means in your room with your door open or visible on the floor in which you live
    • Read and post all information of interest to students
    • Maintain confidentiality as appropriate in all related manners
    • Engage in individual student counseling, conflict mediation, crisis management, and policy interpretation/enforcement as necessary

    • Serve as a positive role model and campus resource for all residents of your building/area

    • Support and endorse residential life policies and procedures
    • Explain residence hall emergency procedures to the floor/hall
    • Respond to all emergency or problematic situations in the residence hall
    • Respond to all emergency or problematic situations in the residence hall
    • Enlist the help of all residents in establishing and maintaining quiet hours and other conditions that enhance a responsible living environment
    • Provide duty coverage as required for the area designated on a rotating basis with the other RAs when residence halls are occupied
    • Weekend duty includes holding an on call phone for 24 hours at a time
    • Report work orders to AAC promptly and accurately
    • Perform periodic Health and Safety inspections
    • Participate in duties related to opening and closing. RAs are required to remain after closing to complete duties, which may involve remaining on campus up to 24 hours after hall closing
    • Assist in the preparation for opening and closing of residence halls each semester and for breaks
    • Notify the Residential Life member on call in case of emergency situations immediately
    • Support and endorse college policies and procedures and explain to students the possible consequences of violations of policies
    • Regularly communicate issues and concerns in a timely manner, including responding to communications from residential life staff
    • Document all violations of federal and state laws or college policy and participate as required in the judicial process
    • Complete all paperwork promptly and accurately in accordance with the request of professional staff members
    • Attend and participate in training prior to Fall and Spring opening. RAs who fail to attend may be terminated. 
    • Thanksgiving Break: RAs must remain on campus until closing inspections are completed the day of closing. RAs must return by first Monday after break (when classes begin again)
    • Winter Break: RAs must remain on campus until end of day after halls close.
    • Spring Break: RAs must remain on campus until end of last class day before Srping Break begins. RAs must return by first Monday after break (when classes begin again)
    • Participate in two inservices provided by Residential Life throughout each semester and one career center employment program
    • RAs who are on duty for breaks must be able to respond within five minutes from 8am-8am and be on call throughout that time.
    • Attend and participate in all staff meetings
    • Open doors for students who are locked out of their own rooms (loss or misuse of keys may result in immediate termination of of employment and may also subject RA to replacement costs and/or disciplinary charges)
    • Assume other responsibilities as designated by the office of residential life
    • Check mailbox, email, and messages daily
    • RAs must serve in the residence hall assigned
    • When an RA  terminates their employment, does not renew their appointment or is terminated by the Office of Residential Life, they may not be allowed to live in the building in which they were employed as an RA
    • RAs cannot be Peer Mentors or serve as President of a Greek Organization IF they have direct supervision over that organization’s house.
    • Any time residence halls are open, RAs will be on duty. Holiday duty will be treated with seperate expectations as discussed with supervisor
    • At any point in time 50% of RAs per duty area should be on campus with a presence in their residence hall. You must inform your supervisor of time away (nights off campus). Supervisors can deny if 50% rule not maintained
    • RAs are evaluated semesterly on job performance. This is connected to the rehiring process for the following academic year
    • Staff Training and Resident Move Ins
    • Monthly All Staff Meetings
    • Area Staff Meetings
    • Winter Staff Training
    • Staff Selection (RA, AAC, AC)
    • Housing Selection
    • Year end Closing
    • Fall Family weekend, Homecoming, Open House events, Birthday Ball, Spring Fling, and any other “all staff” events, RAs will alternate who is helping on these so that one RA is not taking on all the work
    • Must possess and maintain cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher

    • Must be a full time student for both the Fall and Spring semesters

    • Must be in good disciplinary standing at all times

    • Must be capable of being a positive representative of the Office of Residential Life, Student Affairs, and Washington College

    • RAs in first year areas and/or 1st time RAs cannot have additional time commitments during training. Returning RAs who are not in a first year area may have additional time commitments during training with supervisor approval

    RA Recruitment Process

    Information sessions are held before applications are due and are typically run by RAs and Area Coordinators.

    Applications for Fall typically open up the January before, and applications for spring (if any positions are available) typically open up October before.

    Applicants have to complete an online application including naming 2 references.  All applicants should bring their resume and cover letter drafts to Career Services to have them reviewed prior to submission.

    https://washcoll.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com 

    You will need to upload a cover letter and resume with your online application. 

    • Your cover letter should include thorough answers to the following:
      • What are some of your talents and skills demonstrated in your experiences that you will contribute to Residential Life? What skills have you learned from previous work experiences?
      • What skills do you need to develop for your future career? How will the position of RA help you learn those skills?
      • Give us an example of something you have done to enhance your ability to engage with and knowledge of people or cultures different then your own.
    • Applicants are strongly urged to go to the Career Center for assistance on their cover letter and resume. 

     Two references are required. 

    Application materials will be reviewed and a limited number of candidates invited to participate in group process.
    Group process  is usually held on a  Saturday  from 10-12.   Group process is a series of group problem solving activities that allow candidates to interact with each other. 

    Based upon the results of group process, individual interviews will then be offered to a more limited number of candidates. 

    Training is mandatory and typically starts a week  before the classes start. 
     

    If you have more questions, contact Nakia Johnson or residential_life@washcoll.edu

    Desk Staff

    Desk staff are hired to staff RA offices during the day, particularly for the purpose of helping with lockouts and/or assisting with administrative tasks such as key checks, bulletin board planning and implementation, signage creation, posting, and removal, etc. . Desk staff are often work study students. Residential Life hires as many as needed to maintain daytime office coverage.