New housing jobs to shift RA duties from desks to floors

Resident adviser Daniel Kwon posts an events poster in his lounge. (John Lilly)

Starting in the fall of 2011 resident advisers will no longer be required to man housing desks. The Office of Housing and Residence Life will be introducing a new post, that of desk assistant, to fulfill the function once carried out by RAs.

“[This will] get more students involved on campus,” said Leah Quinn, residential student leadership coordinator for the housing office. “It will create new leadership opportunities for students without all the duties of an RA.”

Quinn said that resident student would benefit from the change.

“The RAs work four hours a week at the desk, organize three programs a month for students on their floor, and help out at other events as well,” Quinn explained. “[This] will give RAs more balance in their responsibilities. It will shift their duties to students, rather than [their] having to deal with administrative obligations.”

Housing desks will be open 24 hours a day, with desk assistants on call at any time.

“They would be paid an hourly rate, as well as extra for later shift,” said Brian Papajcik, assistant director for community standards in the housing office. “Their responsibilities would include responding to phone calls and e-mails and just being there to give help to students.”

Desk managers will monitor the desk assistants and report to housing administrators.

“Desk managers would hold more of a student leadership position and would work closely with the housing office,” said Papajcik. “They would be paid a stipend and it would be a much more robust position.”