Resident Assistant Application Process

Resident Assistant Application

 

 

Resident Assistant Application Submission Process


1. Complete the application on line by Monday, January 18 at 8:00 a.m.


2. Once you complete your online application, an e-mail will automatically be sent to your recommenders asking them to complete the online recommendation. If you would like your recommenders to complete a recommendation before you complete an application, please contact them and give them your netID, as they will need it to complete your recommendation.

 

3. If they do not have the ability to complete the recommendation on line, you can download recommendation forms (see link below) or pick up recommendation forms in the Office of Residence Life & Housing, 305 Main Building.

 

http://orlh.nd.edu/documents/RA_Recommendation_Form.pdf

 

4. Contact faculty members, administrators, advisors, and current or former employers to determine their willingness to provide recommendations. Please keep in mind that many of these individuals will be asked to fill out multiple recommendations--give them sufficient notice and time to write.


If you have any trouble accessing the application or recommendation form, please contact the Office of Residence Life & Housing at 1-5878.

 

Position Description


The position of resident assistant (RA) is an important one at the University of Notre Dame. The RA is involved in helping students live together productively in the residence halls. In pursuing this goal, the resident assistant assumes many responsibilities.


The RA is a senior or a graduate student who is a member of the residence hall staff, and who is assigned to work in a particular residence hall under the immediate direction of the hall's Rector.


Every resident assistant must participate in pre-service training, hall staff orientation, and in-service activities. Orientation begins in late Spring for the 2010-2011 staff. A more extensive training program is conducted approximately two weeks preceding the start of the Fall 2010 semester. In-service sessions are held throughout the year. Attendance at orientation, pre-service and in-service training sessions, as well as regular meetings with the hall staff, is mandatory. Students participating in foreign study programs during the Spring 2010 semester are excused from that semester's orientation activities.


Because resident assistants serve as first responders in many medical emergencies, it is important that they possess basic first aid skills. All RAs must complete the American Red Cross or American Heart Association Standard First Aid and the American Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR classes before the start of the Fall 2010 semester.


This requirement may be fulfilled through any Red Cross or American Heart Association chapter or through courses offered at Notre Dame during the Spring 2010 semester. Upon completion of each course, Resident Assistants are expected to submit a photocopy of their certification cards to the Office of Residence Life & Housing. The cost of this training must be borne by the applicant.


In addition to returning to campus earlier than most students, RAs must remain on campus until the halls close at the end of each semester. RA presence may also be required because of home games at the start or end of Fall break or on other occasions when the Office of Residence Life & Housing determines that hall staffing is important.


In order to show active interest in the students, the resident assistant should be available to them during most of the evening hours according to a duty schedule arranged with, and approved by, the rector of the hall. The resident assistant is expected to know his or her students well enough to be able to provide direct assistance or provide appropriate referrals in a variety of areas -- academic, spiritual, social, or personal.


The resident assistant also works with Head Staff to help maintain an atmosphere of friendly community living. The RA is required to enforce University policy in accordance with du Lac, Student Life Policies and Procedures. In addition, all staff members are expected to show leadership by the example of their personal lives.


In order to fulfill these duties and not jeopardize his or her own academic responsibilities, the RA should generally have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Occasionally, exceptions to this requirement are made by the Director of Residence Life & Housing based upon review of each applicant's file.


Further, due to the demands of the position, resident assistants are typically precluded from other outside employment, participation in varsity athletics, or elected student government positions. Any exceptions to these restrictions must be approved by the Director of Residence Life & Housing and the Rector of the hall.


As compensation for these services, the University of Notre Dame provides room, board and limited laundry service. Also included in the compensation is payment of the telephone installation charge and a free, non-delegable student parking sticker. It should be clearly noted that this compensation (specifically, board) does not extend to "early start" programs, late departures, "breaks" or vacations except for meals on those days when RA presence in the hall is necessitated by home football games at the start or end of Fall break, or as otherwise determined by the need to staff the residence halls. The term of the resident assistant agreement is for one semester and may be renewed for the following semester with the approval of the rector and the Director of Residence Life & Housing.


Resident assistants at Notre Dame are expected to incorporate Christian values into their lives and their lifestyles, so that they may take a pro-active role in the growth and development of other students who come here to study and learn. In doing so, they will enhance residential life at this University as well as grow and expand themselves as more fully educated and experienced Notre Dame men and women.

 

 

Timeline for RA Application & Selection Process


Monday, November 9, 2009 to Monday, January 18, 2010:

Applications Available. Applications will be available on the Office of Residence Life & Housing website beginning Monday, November 9, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. until Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:00 a.m.

 

Monday, January 18, 2010:

Application and recommendation deadline date. Completed application and three (3) recommendations must be on file in the Office of Residence Life & Housing by 8:00 a.m.

 

Friday, January 22, 2010:

An initial screening of all candidate files will be completed.
Candidates will be notified by email/letter if they are moving on in the process or if they have not passed the initial screening.
Rectors will be informed of the candidates seeking RA positions in their respective halls. (Rectors can pick up their files from ORLH.)

 

Friday, February 26, 2010:

Rectors will have interviewed, selected, and submitted to the Office of Residence Life & Housing a complete list of their RA choices.

 

Monday March 15, 2010:

The Office of Residence Life & Housing will notify all RA candidates of the status of their candidacy.

 

Thursday, April 15, 2010:

Initial meeting of all new RAs with Residence Life Staff of the Office of Student Affairs. (ATTENDANCE REQUIRED) Location: TBD; Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Note: RA training (including CPR & First Aid Certification and In-Services) may begin during the month of April. Those students selected will be notified of dates, times, and locations in advance of training sessions.


If you have questions, please contact the Office of Residence Life & Housing at (574) 631-5878.


Financial Benefit for Resident Advisors


Resident Advisors (RA) are granted a waiver of room and board in exchange for their work as an RA.  The RA benefit in 2009/2010 was valued at $11,356 (cost of a single room, in-room phone and laundry service).

 

RA benefits are not considered taxable income. The benefit is tax free because it is provided to the RA for the convenience of the University, meals are furnished on University premises, and the RA is required to live in an assigned room in the dormitory as a condition of their employment,.


Information for Students Receiving Financial Aid

RAs who receive financial aid administered by the University, should be aware of the following:

· University Scholarships are not typically affected; however, the total value of the RA benefit and other financial aid may not exceed the student's cost of attendance
· Students who serve as RAs are not typically authorized to work on campus
· The benefit that RAs receive may affect eligibility for federally subsidized loans. You may want contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss your specific situation.  The Office of Financial Aid is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located in 115 Main Building.  You may reach them at 574-631-6436 or finaid@nd.edu.

 

Frequently Asked Questions


1. If I will be studying abroad during the RA Selection Process what should I do?
If you will be studying abroad in the Spring 2010 semester, please contact your Rector now to schedule an interview this semester before you leave. Be sure to complete your application on line to meet the January 18 deadline.


2. Who can/should I ask to write recommendations?
We recommend that you ask faculty members, administrators, advisors, and current/former employers/supervisors. Select people who can speak to your work ability and your ability to be a minister, educator, and professional in the RA role. It will be helpful to ask people who have worked directly with you. Examples include: advisor to a group you belong to, a supervisor at a past or current job or community service site, a faculty member who you have a close working relationship with. Please do not ask your Rector or Assistant Rector or a fellow student to write a recommendation for you. Please do not ask your family or friends to write character references for you. Recommenders do not need to be from Notre Dame.


3. Are recommendations due at the same time as my application?
Yes. All 3 recommendations along with your application are due by 8:00 a.m. on Monday, January 18.


4. How many academic credits do I need to take to be an RA?
Normally, RAs are required to maintain full-time status through both the Fall and Spring semesters.  However, if you have the permission of your academic department/college, authorized exceptions can sometimes be made. Please submit a request in writing to Jeffrey Shoup in the Office of Residence Life & Housing for consideration.


5. Who is eligible to apply to be an RA?
RAs can be seniors, 5th year seniors, or graduate students.


6. If I am a graduate student, can I apply to be both an RA and an Assistant Rector?
Yes, but keep in mind that the RA Selection process happens before the AR Selection process.


7. If I am going to be 5th year student and am currently an RA, do I need to apply to be an RA again for next year?
Yes. You will need to complete the online application and speak to your Rector about your interest in returning to the position for another year.


8. If I am selected to be an RA, when do I need to return to campus in August 2010?
RAs can move in as early as Sunday, August 8 before training starts. You will need to see your Rector for details. Hall Staff Training will begin on Tuesday, August 10, 2010.