Resident Assistant Position Overview

RA Description

The Resident Assistant (RA) helps create and sustain a civil, respectful, and healthy residential community through caring interventions, mentoring, referral, mediation, administrative tasks, on-duty coverage, and upholding community standards and University policy. Under the direction of the Resident Director (RD), the RA works with the Department of Housing and Residence Life as well as students, faculty, and staff to foster the academic, social, and developmental growth of all residential students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

RAs Are Expected To Demonstrate An Ability To:

Serve as a student leader and responsible community member, capable of sound judgement and critical decision-making skills.
Communicate effectively in group and individual situations, while establishing rapport with a wide variety of individuals.
Organize activities which meet specific established goals.
Quickly evaluate and respond appropriately to crisis.
Care for themselves and others while positively representing the Department and the University.

Time Commitments:

RAs are expected to attend and participate in Fall, Spring and Summer trainings. All training sessions are mandatory. Approval to miss any portion of training must be obtained through your Assistant Director, and only academic and military commitments will be approved. RAs must also complete all online training and attend monthly in-service trainings. RAs are expected to assist with Residential Life events including but not limited to the following: Operation Move In, Closing the residence halls, department wide events, House Calls, Scholars in Residence Ceremony, RA Selection Process, and the End of the Year Banquet. All dates are subject to change.

RAs are expected to attend weekly staff meetings every Thursday from 8:00pm to 10:00pm
RAs are expected to meet with their Resident Director for individual meetings on a bi-weekly basis.
RAs are expected to participate in the evening and weekend duty rotation.
RAs may be asked to perform other tasks and duties as assigned.
RAs who are in Stophel on South Campus and a to be later determined location for North Campus, where Winter Break housing is located may be required to cover Winter Break On Call.

RA Compensation

RAs are provided with a free room scholarship in their assigned complex. Their building and room assignment are subject to change at the discretion of the Department. If an RA is employed after training, the room scholarship is prorated.
RAs must complete the housing application. RAs are allowed to select one roommate to live with them at the time of their acceptance for the academic year. This roommate group must be set up through Manage My Housing by the housing deadline. During the Housing Lottery, any vacant rooms within an RA apartment may be filled by other students. RAs accepting the position at other times of the year may not select a roommate.
In rare cases, the Department may need to assign other residents to your room on a temporary or permanent basis to meet any overflow demands.
RAs are provided with a meal plan scholarship (Gold Plan 5: $900 Mocs Bucks). RAs are required to have a meal plan. RAs may select a more costly meal plan and pay the difference themselves. A cancellation of a meal plan will result in the funds being returned to Housing and Residence Life or the meal plan placed back into your account.
RAs receive a $750 per semester stipend (paid on biweekly basis at a prorated amount). If an RA is employed after training the $750 stipend is prorated.
All compensation is contingent on successfully and fully completing all required functions of the position. If an RA begins or ends their employment during a semester (either due to hiring, termination, or resignation) compensation will only be given for the period of time they are employed. All benefits will be prorated as of the date they start (when HR paperwork is complete, and personnel number is received) or end employment. Employment can be terminated, by the employer or employee, at any time and for any reason. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is an equal opportunity employer.
Grant-In-Aid agreements may affect the RAs financial aid award. The federal government requires the University to monitor all the resources available to students who receive federal financial aid. If a student has applied for or is receiving a Perkins Student Loan, HOPE Scholarship, Supplemental Grant, Work-Study job, or a Stafford Loan, those sources of aid may be affected if they become an RA. Aid applicants should check with the Financial Aid Office before accepting a Graduate Assistantship or Resident Assistant position to determine what financial aid adjustment, if any, might be necessary.

Education and Engagement

RAs plan, implement, and participate in activities that enhance the social, educational, community, and personal development of residents. See the Manual and Lesson Plans for more specific instruction on curriculum expectations.
RAs actively encourage and promote involvement in Residence Hall Association (RHA) programs and activities.
RAs design and construct door decorations, bulletin boards, and residence hall decorations throughout each semester.
RAs conduct opening and closing section meetings to plan programs, disseminate information, and explain residence hall policies and procedures.
RAs conduct Fly Bys monthly and report back to RD on results.
RAs should strive to demonstrate personal warmth, social and emotional maturity, the development of meaningful relationships, openness to new experiences, positive attitudes towards the RA position, and the flexibility and capacity to deal with change.

Supervision and Teamwork

RAs are expected to be supportive, respectful, and committed team members. RAs should maintain a positive working relationship with their RD and fellow RAs. RAs should accept direction and feedback in a professional manner and work to improve their performance.
RAs are expected to maintain direct communication with their RD, resolving questions, concerns, and follow-up with professionalism. RAs will hold themselves, their fellow staff members, and their residents accountable for their actions, confronting concerns with consistency and reporting necessary information directly to the RD.
When communicating with each other, RAs are expected to be patient, helpful, honest, and responsible, while demonstrating maturity, respect, transparency, and sensitivity.

Administration and Facilities

RAs are expected to actively inform residents of pertinent academic and University information, through postings, announcements or direct delivery, of information.
RAs are expected to complete Weekly Reports for their RD based off the Weekly Report Lesson Plan.
RAs assist in the opening and closing of the residence halls and check residents in/out.
RAs conduct inspections and document the condition of rooms before and after occupancy and monthly.
RAs perform administrative duties as assigned, including but not limited to checking their email daily, mailboxes daily, distributing information, completing incident reports and duty logs, participating in check in/out procedures, managing purchasing receipts, room inspections, checking and responding to email and phone communication. Duties should be done accurately, clearly, completely, and on time.
RAs should document maintenance and custodial concerns and follow up with Resident Director and residents to ensure completion.
RAs are expected to educate their residents on their responsibilities for cleanliness and safety.

Duty, Crisis, and Policy Enforcement

RAs share responsibility for serving on duty rotation every weeknight (Sunday – Thursday) from 5:00pm to 8:00am and weekends (Friday – Sunday) from 5:00pm to 5:00pm the following day. From 5:00pm to 10:00pm, RAs spend time in the community office and in the complex. RAs should wear their nametag, UTC gear or housing polo, to be easily identified as a Resident Assistant.
While on duty RAs respond to lockouts, emergency situations, and policy violations in a quick, calm, and consistent manner. RAs monitor the residence halls and report any emergency issues to the RD on call.
RAs cannot leave the complex while on duty Monday-Friday between 5:00pm-8:00am, except between 5:00pm-7:30pm to get food from an on campus location, for 30 minutes or less. On Saturday and Sunday between 8:00am-5:00pm RAs can be within 10 minutes of campus but must always carry the duty phone with them. RAs are expected to return to campus within 10 minutes if they receive a phone call and need to respond. The RA must call the RDOC duty phone notifying the RDOC when leaving the complex and text the RDOC when returning to the complex.
RAs should reference the RA Manual for expectations regarding protocol. RAs should always answer the duty phone in a timely manner.
RAs are considered essential employees and are expected to work in the residential area during weather and other emergencies. RAs should always respond promptly to safety and health hazards.
RAs are mandated Title IX reporters and must notify the RD immediately regarding possible situations of sexual misconduct.
RAs are required to report other resident concerns to their RD or the RDOC by following the Incident Response Protocol and RA Manual.
RAs may be required to be on duty for 24 hours when holidays or other University closures are on weekdays.

Security and Privacy

RA are expected to accurately observe, inform, document, and follow-up on concerns and incidents. RAs cannot promise confidentiality and will immediately report situations where there is the possibility of harm to self or others, including sexual harassment and assault.
RAs ensure that residents are familiar with, understand the rationale for, and comply with all basic University rules and regulations.
RAs respond to all reported and witnessed violations of Housing and University policies occurring within any residence hall immediately and will submit the appropriate report.
RAs are expected to maintain complete privacy concerning residents' personal records, whether obtained through verbal or written means. RAs will share sensitive information up to their RD and will not share with other RAs or students.
RAs are expected to use keys, swipe access, or office codes in a responsible manner, as specifically instructed by the RD, department policies, or in accordance with training. RAs are responsible for keys assigned to them and improper use, loss of keys, or failure to return keys promptly.
RAs should never speak to media outlets in representation of the Department, including the University newspaper. If an RA is approached by a media outlet (television, radio, print, etc.), a referral should be made to the Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life following your chain of supervision.

Compliance with Campus Policies and Federal, State and Local Laws

Except in their role in enforcing University policy, RAs should not be in the presence of underage individuals consuming alcohol, provide alcohol to underage individuals, or consume alcohol as an underage individual.
Alcohol and associated paraphernalia (empty containers, bar-like structures) are not permitted in student rooms, regardless of legal age.
RAs of the legal age to consume alcohol off campus are expected to role model appropriate behaviors concerning the consumption of alcohol.
RAs should not be consuming alcohol when acting in any capacity of their role (ex: while serving on-call).
RAs should not use or possess false, forged, borrowed, or altered identification cards of any kind.
RAs should not possess or be in the presence of illegal drugs.
RAs should follow all federal, state and local laws.
RAs should adhere to the UTC Student Code of Conduct and Honor Code.
RAs should notify their supervisor of any violation of campus policies or federal, state, and local laws immediately.

Personal Conflicts of Interest

RAs should not have romantic or sexual relationships with individuals for whom RAs have direct, indirect, or perceived influence over or are responsible. Recognizing that such conflicts may occur, RAs should inform their supervisor immediately to determine next steps, which may include a room move.
If an RA chooses to engage in a relationship with another RA (within the department), the RA will speak to their supervisor as this can cause issues unforeseen by the RAs.
RAs are expected to treat all residents consistently, without favoritism.
RAs should not transport residents in vehicles in their role as an RA.
An RA cannot use their position to have influence over other residents (including friends, roommates, or partners).

Communicable Illness Special Expectations

RAs may have spaces in their complex or area of responsibility that house students in isolation or quarantine.
RAs will be expected to maintain and enforce all reasonable precautions, such as wearing masks, physically distancing, limiting time in enclosed spaces with others, and limiting exposure to non- residents.
RAs may be expected to include residents in isolation or quarantine in virtual programming efforts.
RAs may be expected to deliver items to residents in isolation or quarantine (but have no close contact), such as food, keys, programming, or comfort items.

RA Accountability

RAs report directly to the Resident Director for their area and are part of the Department of Housing and Residence Life, within the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. RAs are responsible for upholding the specific policies, duties, responsibilities, and expectations as outlined in the Resident Assistant Position Agreement and Manual, the Student Code of Conduct, the Housing Contract, and federal, state, and local laws.

Outside Involvement

The RA position is considered a 20-hour per week commitment with the understanding that after self- care, and academic work (which requires 40 hours per week) the RA role should be of greatest importance.
Therefore, RAs are not permitted to have other employment, internships, athletic participation, or extracurricular commitments, either on or off campus, which exceed a combined total of 10 hours per week, without the approval of their Assistant Director. Activities that are 10 hours or less are approved by the Resident Director. RAs will submit an Outside Involvement Request Form during training up through the first week of classes.
All outside commitments, including student teaching, clinicals, practices, and internships, should not conflict with the RA duties.

For any questions related to the RA position overview, please contact [email protected]!