Resident assistant
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Names | Resident Assistant, Resident Advisor, RA, Resident Mentor, Senior Resident, Residence Don |
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Occupation type
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Profession |
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Activity sectors
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Education |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Communication, Organization, Planning |
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Related jobs
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Coach (sport), tutor |
A resident assistant (also variously known as a resident advisor, community assistant, resident mentor, residence don, peer advisor, community advisor, collegiate fellow, or senior resident), commonly shortened to RA, is a trained peer leader who supervises those living in a residence hall or group housing facility. The majority of RAs work at colleges, universities, or residential mental health and substance abuse facilities.
An RA has many roles and responsibilities, including building a residential community through programming, acting as a para-counselor for students, being a familiar first resource for students with academic or institutional questions, and enforcing residence policies. Typically, but not exclusively, the RA goes through a rigorous training process. An RA must balance his/her own schedule and priorities with the needs of the students he/she is supporting. Above all, a resident assistant must be an example and uphold professional and personal accountability as outlined by the institution.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 the national mean hourly wage of RAs was $12.17, and the national mean average annual wage was $25,320. An RA at a college or university does not typically receive an hourly wage, but is compensated in other ways. Common compensations are price-adjusted housing, free meals, and/or stipends. Listed below are two tables of RA hourly and annual mean wage, broken down by individual industries.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
Top paying industries for this occupation:
An RA has many responsibilities. Each institution has its own duties and requirements for an RA. The following are the more common responsibilities of an RA.
These duties are a direct result of the leadership portion of the RA position. The RA needs to be a great liaison from the floor to the building coordinator. This requires writing detailed reports, keeping accurate records, and maintaining good communication. RAs are usually required to meet with their building coordinator weekly or bi-weekly to discuss their residents, planned programming, and any other issues or subjects that could affect the ability to perform their responsibilities. The RA may also assist with public relations and housing needs.
These duties are designated from the values and goals of the institution. This denotes that the RA should be a role model by following the regulations. In addition, the RA could be required to disseminate, explain, and uphold these regulations.
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Wikipedia