Residence Life in need of RAs as fall semester approaches

If the recent email sent to students from new associate director of residential education Laura Arroyo seemed urgent to recruit new resident assistants, it’s because all empty RA slots needed to be filled by the start of training this Thursday.

“There are only three or four open slots that need to be filled,” said Thomas Bowie, the assistant director of Residence Life for Danieley Center. “We’ve already interviewed about eight people since the email was sent out, and we’ve got more lined up. We want the new RAs to be able to attend training on (August) 16, so that might be why the email seemed urgent.”

But the shortage of RAs isn’t anything new for Residence Life. There is a shortage almost every summer, Bowie said, though each year the slots are filled. The email soliciting additional RAs was sent later than usual this summer because Arroyo didn’t take over until mid-June, resulting in a two-week delay to fill the RA slots, he said.

“The main reason for the shortage each summer is due to GPA issues, or people who applied to transfer or study abroad,” Bowie said. “This year the shortage is all due to GPA issues or transfers. I’ve got no doubts that the empty slots will be filled by the start of training.”

The minimum GPA requirement is 2.5, but balancing academics and a social life proves too challenging for some students. Elliot Dodd, a housing assistant in Danieley Center, said juggling his various responsibilities hasn’t presented a problem.

“My work doesn’t really interfere with my social life,” Dodd said. “It can actually help, because I meet and work with so many people. Working for Residence Life makes me manage my time wisely, which allows me to stay caught up with my course load.”

Dodd said he feels that working for Residence Life has made him more responsible, and the requirements are feasible.

“The RA/HA position is a huge source of personal growth, and it provides an increased sense of responsibility,” Dodd said. “There can be late nights at times with rounds, but our scheduling is very flexible and accommodates our needs as much as possible.”

So what would happen if Residence Life couldn’t recruit enough RAs?

“We’ve never experienced that problem,” Bowie said. “Worst case scenario, an RA might have to cover two floors, but we should have enough by the time training rolls around.”