RA Resource Guide

RESIDENT ASSISTANT RESOURCE GUIDE

AN

Residential Living

DEPARTMENTAL MISSION

Our mission is to serve the communities of Western Carolina University by providing clean, safe and healthy living environments that enhance and support the educational mission, goals and creed of the University. We strive to create living and learning communities where students feel valued as individuals and where diversity in fellowship with others can be celebrated. While maintaining a high level of quality of service, we shall encourage and provide opportunities for professional growth and development of character, leadership, honesty, respect, and pride.

PEAKS

Western Carolina PEAKS is the first year residential experience.The mission statement is as follows: Western CarolinaPEAKS is a caring community that provides students with a strong foundation to begin their academic career by engagingresidents in opportunities which enhance learning, facilitate positive life skills, and instill pride in their affiliation with WesternCarolina University. Simply stated, if you are a freshman living on campus, you are part of Western Carolina PEAKS. RAswho work with Western Carolina PEAKS are invited to participate in larger events that connect freshmen to the university community and beyond.

RISE

The RISE program aspires to create traditions and developmental programming that meets the needs of Sophomores transitioning out of PEAKS & Transfer students that are new to WCU. The second year residential experience seeks to engage second year students that are living on campus and are interested in living in a themed community. All RISE programming and events will be informed by four fundamental tenants or "pillars" of the program: Life and Career Planning, Academic Success, Servant Leadership, and Civic Engagement. RAs who will work with RISE are invited to participate in larger events that connect second year students to the university community and beyond by improving skill development, providing continued access to and engagement with support services, and enhancing the students' sense of belonging at WCU.

Skill Development & More

Characteristics

What traits are we looking for in RA candidates?

Character Communication Skills

Concern for Others

Openness

Organizational Skills

Opportunities

Ability to Problem Solve Team Work

Academic Committment

Willingness to Learn!

What opportunities exist within the RA position?

Living Learning Communities Cultural Competency Going Green Global Awareness & Citizenship

Band of Brothers

Going Global! Leadership Whee Teach

Secrets of Powerful Women

Themed Communities

Call Me MiSTER

RAs working with these communities support the faculty and cohorts of students by incorporating the theme of their community in their community builders once a semester on their hall; helping support the learning taking place in the classroom.

Quotes from Former RAs

“Being a RA has helped me develop necessary skills to becoming a great nurse in so many ways to think of. However, one thing that the RA job has helped me with is finding a way to communicate and connect with a wide range of people from different races, religions, sexual orientations, beliefs, etc I have a lot more confidence in being able to connect with anyone no matter their background Next, I've learned the importance of leading by example, and how my actions have more weight than my words in some cases. That was important to learn because my actions will be watched carefully in the hospital, so I have to be mindful of not only my words of course, but also my actions Altogether, I believe the RA role has prepped me on how to be a leader and how to connect with others while still being professional.”

Malcolm Skinner, 2022

“Being an RA exposed me to several different elements that helped me in the real world. I worked with people who didn’t have the same processes and learned how to navigate that without becoming upset or frustrated with them I worked on my people skills and that has helped me tremendously when meeting different people in my industry. It helped me learn how to multitask with competing priorities.”

Bayley Robinson, 2019

“Being an RA was one of the best college jobs I had for many reasons, but the most prominent is the growth I made professionally and personally. The RA position help to strengthen not only my interpersonal skills, but my selfconfidence. As a result, this growth has transferred to previous jobs and my current job”

Annalyssia Soonah, 2020

“Being an RA was the best thing I did at Western. It taught me time management skills which is helping me in my career as a mom and wife It has also taught me communication skills which helps me not only in my career but in life!"

Mariah Harris, 2019

“My time as an RA was one of the most rewarding experiences I had when I attended Western Carolina When I applied for the position (way back when), I had no idea that by taking on that role, I would gain so many skills that I am still using today. Even as a dual major, I learned more career skills from my residents and my amazing supervisors. They taught me time management skills, de escalation/conflict resolution tactics, case management, program planning, peer mediation tactics, and so much more. As an RA, I learned what it meant to be a leader and it switched my focus from crime scene investigation to humanities. Having worked in the Federal sector, State prison system and now a children's psychiatric hospital, I can say the job prepares you for a multitude of situations and brings out the best parts of you.”

Quira Monk, 2015

Job Description

Highlights & Expectations

The Resident Assistant (RA) is an important member of the Department of Residential Living staff. An RA is an undergraduate or graduate student who serves a group of thirty to sixty five students living in a common area of a residence hall. The RA is a paraprofessional student selected on the basis of leadership skills and experiences, character, and the ability to relate well to others.

Western Carolina University is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment and does not discriminate or treat people differently on the basis of race; color; religion; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; and National Guard or veteran status.

RAs are expected to: be mature individuals exert a positiveinfluence on the members of their community work to create and maintain a healthylivingenvironment for both the personalandacademicgrowth of students living in the residence halls be concerned and highlyresponsible individuals be enthusiastic have a positiveoutlook toward WCU, the Department of Residential Living, their responsibilities, and fellow staff members in serving as a member of the Residence Life Staff and as a member of the Department of Residential Living and the Division of Student Affairs

serve as a rolemodel on and off campus as well as online followpoliciesbyreadingandadhering to all University policies as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct, Residence Hall Agreement, Residential Living Policies and Procedures, the position description, RA Staff Manual, and all other policies and practices set forth by Residential Living and WCU perform additionalduties that are necessary in their respective communities Attendandparticipate in allmandatorytraining sessions prior to each semester; trainings do not seek to change the beliefs of participants, but provide staff with the toolstobestserveallresidents in a manner that makes them feel safe,welcomed, and to offer opportunitiestolearn more about those who may be different than you in all residence hall communities.

Additional Responsibilitie

sAll Resident Assistants must...

Important Considerations

Payforamealplan

Submitthenon refundablehousingdepositand HousingAgreementbytheappropriatedeadline Agreetoremainoncampusuntilallclosing responsibilities(includingbreaks)havebeenfulfilledat theendofeachsemester

Administrative Responsibilities

Completeonlinemodulespriortoinpersontraining Strictlyadheretoallpoliciesandprocedures regardingaccesstoanduseofcatcardsandallkeys issuedforwork relatedpurposes Monitoranddocumentroomchanges Distributeandcollectkeys InspectroomsandprepareRoomConditionReports (RCRs)

Community Building Be familiar with campus resources, policies, and procedures to make appropriate student referrals Work to provide open lines of communication in order to foster a positive living environment Be present in the community by talking with students and investing in ongoing formal and informal community building Complete all Resident Profiles and CATCH Ups

Safety & Security

Serve on a weekly duty rotation from 8 pm - 12 am & weekends 8 pm - 2 am by conducting rounds, responding to & keeping record of incidents Have a working knowledge of fire safety equipment, how to report when tampering with such equipment has occurred, & assist with scheduled evacuation alarms Report incidents of theft, vandalism, fire, threatening activity, and/or other situations as indicated through Campus Security Authority training to supervisors & UPD. Ensure the physical health & safety of residents and their guests by conducting Health & Safeties, serving on duty, responding to crisis & non-crisis incidents, & working with housekeeping & maintenance staff as well as supervisors to submit appropriate documentation & administer follow up focused on student wellbeing & the residential experience.

Most of all: Community Building

Interested

RAs

implement, and

within the hall. These

be of a diverse nature which encourages

active members of their community

halls as a "Living & Learning"

What could be

Dinner at the Caf

Craft

Board game nights

Video Game Tournaments

RAs

maintain

with a mix of

September

September

October

October

October

Student Leadership & Employment

Fountain Plaza 12:30 2 pm

Information Session & Social Shining Rock 7 8 pm

Harrill MPR

Fountain Plaza

8 pm

2

Selected

Social Blue Ridge MPR 7 - 8 pm

Session

Housing Deposit

enroll in an eight week

LEAD 141: Leadership In the

position:

Spring Semester before stepping into the

hired for the