Resident Assistant Position Description Academic Year: (Cougar Place, Cougar Village 1 & 2, Moody Towers, Quadrangle)

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1 4401 Wheeler Street Hustn, Texas Missin: A diverse cmmunity f students, staff, and faculty wh fster student success in living-learning envirnments by building relatinships, prmting engagement, and leading with an ethic f care. Resident Assistant Psitin Descriptin Academic Year: (Cugar Place, Cugar Village 1 & 2, Mdy Twers, Quadrangle) The RA leadership rle can be a remarkable life-changing experience. This psitin as a student affairs educatr has tremendus rewards in the frm f skills, knwledge, experience, lifelng friendships, and a true ability t make a psitive difference in the lives f thers. Althugh yu will be challenged in terms f yur patience, time management, rganizatin, academics, bundaries, and persnal relatinships, many student staff members have felt this pprtunity was cmpletely wrth the time and energy invested. In general, Resident Assistant (RAs) prvide supprt that assists students in achieving persnal, scial, and academic gals, as well as helping them t develp skills essential t prductive citizenry. In additin, RAs have the unique pprtunity t build cmmunity thrugh being accessible, prviding an array f scial, educatinal, and recreatinal activities, encuraging resident interactin, and being a rle mdel as an interested and active member f the UH cmmunity. Because RAs are students first, their academics are paramunt, fllwed clsely by the RA psitin. Extracurricular activities, leadership rles, and emplyment must be apprved by an RA s supervisr t ensure all Student Husing and Residence Life staff maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. In general, the RA psitin is a 20-hur per week cmmitment, with time perids that may r may nt exceed this average. The UH student encunters many cmplex living issues due t ur unique residence hall, suite-style, and apartment living arrangements. Issues ften revlve arund the use and maintenance f shared apartment r residence hall rm space, alchl and ther drug usage, nise levels, cking and cleaning styles, and persnal schedules. RAs wh share Student Husing and Residential Life cmmitment, passin, and dedicatin t the fllwing values will nt nly be successful relatinship and cmmunity builders, but will experience tremendus benefits as a leader, rle mdel, friend, student, peer, and clleague: A. Building relatinships with residents and between residents. An RAs primary gal is as a cmmunity builder, knwing their residents and helping them t get t knw each ther. Netwrk them, supprt them, teach them, laugh with them, cry with them, learn with them, and grw with them. This is the heart f what Student Husing and Residential Life student affairs educatrs d. B. Nurture student success & satisfactin. RAs facilitate discussins, activities, and events that prmte academic prgress and achievement, in additin t supprting and assisting residents with critical thinking and prblem slving skills. As leaders at UH, uphlding cmmunity standards t the best f an RAs ability is critical, being sure t address issues and cncerns in timely manner. Our gal is t make living n campus be the best experience pssible. C. An ethic f care. Our staff react quickly and apprpriately t issues and cncerns. Students, parents, faculty, and staff feel heard, valued, and cared abut when we wrk with them.

2 Expectatins f this Leadership Psitin Under the supervisin f a Residence Life Crdinatr (RLC), Resident Assistants serve as liaisns between Student Husing and Residential Life and residents. The fllwing sectins utline what Student Husing and Residential Life expects f Resident Assistants, as well as what ur student staff can expect frm us as a department. Each sectin has a designated space where yu will indicate yur understanding f what is listed in that area by signing yur initials nce ffered the psitin. As yu read thrugh this psitin descriptin and agreement, please make nte f any questins yu may have and be sure t gain clarificatin, if needed, frm an Residence Life Crdinatr prir t signing. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Must be a student at UH wrking twards a degree. All undergraduates must be enrlled and attending classes with a minimum f 12 units per semester fr the perid f the appintment. Yur direct supervisr must apprve mre than 18 units per semester. Graduate students must be enrlled in a minimum f 6 units per semester, and must btain apprval fr mre than 12 units fr the perid f appintment. Gd academic standing at UH must be demnstrated upn applicatin and maintained thrughut appintment. This means that Resident Assistants must have, and maintain, at the beginning and thrughut the appintment, the fllwing: A cumulative grade pint average f 2.5. A semester grade pint average f 2.5. Have passed at least 12 units (r 6 graduate units) the semester prir t, and each semester thrughut the appintment (academic wrk during Summer sessins d nt cunt twards Fall r Spring GPA r credits earned, but may impact Cumulative GPA). Failure t maintain these academic requirements will result in academic prbatin and/r early terminatin frm the psitin. New RAs failing t meet all criteria (semester and cumulative GPA; passed units) by the start f emplyment culd result in terminatin prir t the appintment start date. If an RA currently n staff r returning t staff is missing ne f these three gd standing criteria, it will result in academic prbatin fr ne semester. After which, if all three criteria are nt met, the RAs psitin will be terminated. If an RA currently n staff r returning t staff is missing tw r mre f these criteria at the end f an academic semester, it will result in the psitin being terminated, and that individual will nt be eligible t apply fr the psitin until all three criteria are met. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Apprachability demnstrated ability t be friendly, pen, and maintain a psitive, helpful attitude when interacting with thers. Strng verbal and written cmmunicatin skills. Awareness f university and Student Husing and Residential Life plicies and prcedures, as well as their imprtance t maintaining a safe, secure, and educatinally fcused living envirnment. Knwledge f, and ability t wrk with, diverse individuals and grups. Demnstrated cmmitment t UH Visin Statement and ability t cntribute t its implementatin within Student Husing and Residential Life. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience in leading peers and/r serving as a psitive rle mdel. Ability t establish and maintain cperative wrking relatinships. Ability t effectively mediate in prblem situatins. Willingness t experience new and different pprtunities, as well as being pen t learn new skills Ability t be flexible in unclear and ambiguus situatins

3 POSITION REQUIREMENTS Have at least ne (1) cmpleted semester f n-campus living experience (r ther apprved "similar experience") prir t the emplyment start date. RA appintments are made fr ne academic year early August (up t 2 weeks prir t the beginning f the semester) t late May. Re-appintment t the psitin is nt guaranteed and is based upn perfrmance thrughut the appintment perid. Incumbents interested in returning must be recmmended fr reappintment by their supervisr. RAs are required t cmplete a backgrund check prir t the start f emplyment. Results f the backgrund check will be reviewed, and may prmpt a review f the candidate s apprpriateness fr the psitin, r cause the revcatin f the RA psitin ffer. All students must cmplete a criminal backgrund check. The criminal backgrund check frm requires general persnal infrmatin as well as all previus U.S. addresses since the age f 17. The frm is all that is needed. The frm then ges t HR, then t UHPD fr the backgrund check, which usually takes 1-2 weeks, depending n whether r nt they re a resident f Texas. Failure t pass the CHRI prcess will result in immediate terminatin f the individual frm any security sensitive psitin. Selected Fall staff are nt t take any UH Sessin IV summer schl classes r external curses that wuld interfere with Fall RA Training. Failure t cmplete all r part f Fall r Spring training sessins will be cause fr emplyment review and prbable terminatin. In cmpliance with the University f Hustn s emplyment plicy, each Resident Assistant is n prbatin fr the first six weeks f each semester f emplyment. All Resident Assistants must als sign a husing agreement. Must be available via phne and UH daily thrughut the perid f the appintment. , phne vic , and staff mailbx must be checked daily. RAs are prvided a departmental issued analg phne and are respnsible fr setting up, maintaining, and checking vic . RA s UH addresses will be published and made available t the residents enabling them t cntact RAs when necessary. Additinally, RAs private phne numbers will be made available t nly Student Husing and Residential Life staff fr emergency purpses. RAs are respnsible fr reading and understanding the RA manual, University f Hustn plicies, Student Husing and Residence Life plicies and prcedures, and any additinal assigned literature, in additin t seeking clarificatin when necessary. It is better t ask questins t gain a better understanding, than t guess an answer and ptentially lead smene astray. RAs are respnsible fr cmpleting required training ffered thrugh Human Resurces beginning in Octber. Failure t cmplete this training by the deadline may result in psitin terminatin. Must be in Gd Standing with Student husing and Residence Life and the University (Cnduct and Judicial Status, as well as financially and academically). As a rle mdel and student affairs educatr, it is critical t uphld and adhere t all University plicies, including the Student Cde f Cnduct, and Student Husing and Residential Life plicies and prcedures, realizing the impact n the cmmunity and staff when these standards are vilated. RA rms are assigned specifically t meet the needs f the cmmunity. An RA is assigned an entire rm. In the event that the RA cntract is terminated, vluntarily r therwise, the RA will be required t mve int anther rm/suite/apartment utside f their area/cmplex. Available t be n duty during Thanksgiving and Spring Break perids. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES It is expected RAs walk their cmmunities n a daily basis t cnnect with residents, check fr safety issues, and assesses/reprt facilities cncerns. Building relatinships and cmmunity is the primary jb fcus fr RAs. As such, it is als expected that RAs spend the majrity nights while n campus in their assigned rm and available t their residents. The fllwing categries list the areas is which many f the RA jb expectatins will fall under. They are als fllwed by things in which students shuld expect t learn as a result f being an RA. In general, as a result f being an RA, students will learn t:

4 Serve as a rle mdel by being invlved in the campus cmmunity, fllwing cmmunity standards, excelling at jb respnsibilities, supprting team effrts, bringing frth new ideas, uphlding UH s missin and excelling academically. Articulate and supprt the missin f the Department thrugh actins and wrds. Demnstrate respect fr students, parents, families, campus partners, and ther Residential Life & Husing staff members. Demnstrate knwledge f Student Husing and Residence Life prgrams and services, as well as all campus resurces available t UH students. Demnstrate their ability t maintain a gd wrk/life balance by balancing schl, persnal, and RA respnsibilities. The Resident Assistant Cmmitment t Cnfidentiality Student Husing and Residential Life is dedicated t prtecting the privacy and cnfidentiality f ur staff and residents. This includes refraining frm gssip r negative cmments abut thers. N persnal infrmatin (including, but nt limited t identity, assignment, address, cntact infrmatin, cnduct histry, financial recrds, etc.) shall be revealed, unless that individual prvides written dcumentatin authrizing the disclsure f that infrmatin. When an individual waives cnfidentiality, staff r student members must exercise utmst cautin nt t exceed the parameters f the waiver. Any dubt regarding disclsure must always be reslved in favr f cnfidentiality. Any breach f cnfidentiality is a serius matter and may be cause fr remval as a staff member frm Student Husing and Residence Life. Cmmunity Develpment Learn the names f all assigned residents. Demnstrate apprachability, availability, and visibility in an effrt t enhance cmmunity develpment and supprt student success. Maintain an pen dr plicy in rder t see and interact with residents. Supprts the prgramming effrts spnsred by student clubs and rganizatins (including, but nt limited t Faculty in Residence, Student Gvernment Assciatin, RHA, etc.) and campus partners. Maintain and regularly update (based n dates prvided by yur supervisr) bulletin bard(s) lcated in yur cmmunity with educatinal, scial, and/r infrmatinal resurces. Actively participates and encurages cmmunity participatin in Student Husing and Residence Life and university prgrams and activities. RAs n duty ver break perids and lng weekends may be expected t crdinate prgrams fr students remaining n campus. Mediate cnflict between cmmunity members. Students will create an inclusive envirnment fr their residents that supprt scial awareness and fsters diversity. Serve as a resurce and referral agent, identifying ptential prblems (i.e. alchl/substance abuse/ dependence, psychlgical distress, date/acquaintance rape, etc.), infrming their direct supervisr r AC n Duty, directing student(s) t apprpriate resurces, and dcumenting situatin. As a result f being an RA students will learn t: Articulate strategies that help them get t knw all f their residents. Cnstruct everyday pprtunities t advance their relatinships with residents. Develp ways t cnnect residents t ne anther and the greater campus cmmunity. Mediate rmmate cnflicts t ensure mutually beneficial slutins. Organize flr events t supprt cmmunity develpment and student success. Safety and Security Serve as a rle mdel, especially in reference t University f Hustn plicies as listed in the Cde f Cnduct available n the Dean f Students website.

5 All dcumentatin f incidents and/r resident/guest behavir must be submitted within 24 hurs r by 8am the next business day, whichever is sner. Maintain cnfidentiality while wrking with cmmunity members (RAs MUST reprt life threatening situatins, sexual assault/abuse, alleged plicy vilatins, and any ptentially dangerus situatins t their direct supervisr r RLC n Duty immediately). Interprets and explains Cmmunity Standards t residents, including ratinale and backgrund, helping residents understand the impact negative behavir can have n a cmmunity. RAs are required t participate n a rtating duty schedule that begins prir t the pening f campus and cntinues daily thrugh the clsing f campus (frm August thrugh May) including Thanksgiving and Spring Break. Duty schedules will vary accrding t the residential cmmunity; hwever, all RAs are expected t remain n campus (days and nights) the majrity f the semester, with extended leave requests apprved by their supervisr. All RAs are n call as required. RAs must remain n campus until all students have left fr a vacatin perid and be back n campus when classes resume after a vacatin perid. Permissin t leave early r return late must be apprved by an RAs direct supervisr. Majr campus/cmmunity special events (including, but nt limited t Cugar Preview, Frntier Fiesta, Family Weekend, Fall Break, Spring Break, etc.) may require RAs t perfrm extra duty cverage. When n duty, RAs may be expected t cnduct frequent Fire Walks if emergency systems fail temprarily, serve as resurces at UH spnsred events, r cnduct cmmunity prgramming. Initially respnd t any alleged vilatin f university plicy, dcument situatins, infrm RLC n Duty r supervisr immediately, and prvide fllw up with residents invlved. RAs will be prepared t deal with behaviral prblems and emergencies with the supprt f prfessinal staff as utlined in training. As a result f being an RA, students will learn t: Respnd t incidents in line with departmental prtcl. Respnd apprpriately t crisis situatins. Cmplete incident reprts cncisely and accurately. Describe several ways t fllw up with residents after an incident. Articulate and enfrce cmmunity standards. Administrative Assist with fall and spring penings (Mve-in/Check-in), Check-Out activities, rm/suite/apartment inspectins, and end f semester clsing events. Reprt regularly n an infrmal basis and bi-weekly in writing t their supervisr (pending supervisry discretin) n cmmunity happenings and cncerns. Participate and assist in crdinating assessment activities, including staff evaluatins, cmmunity assessment instruments, and surveys administered by campus partners. Attends weekly staff meetings and in-services held Wednesdays at 9pm Attends regularly scheduled ne-n-ne meetings with supervisr. RAs must receive apprval at least 24 hurs in advance frm their direct supervisr if they cannt attend meetings in rder t make ther arrangements f assigned tasks. Participate n ne f several building-specific r department-wide cmmittees, wrking apprximately 2-3 hurs a week (n average) t accmplish cmmittee gals and prjects wrk may be cmpleted during meetings r as hmewrk. Realize sme weeks may be mre wrk than thers and each cmmittee will be different Attendance RAs shuld be attending every meeting, unless previus apprval is received frm cmmittee advisr/chair (nt supervisr) Cmmittee members are respnsible fr sharing regular updates and seeking feedback during staff meetings n cmmittee prjects It is the gal f Student Husing and Residence Life fr cmmittee respnsibilities t help further develp RAs knwledge and skills in varius areas while the prjects cmmittees are wrking n are imprtant t residents and the department, this wrk is mre abut the prcess than the prduct. Check RA mailbx, (address prvided t supervisr), and vic (if applicable) daily.

6 Reprt any resident and facilities cncerns t their supervisr, cnducting fllw-up as needed. RAs may be issued access t a staff ffice key during the term f their psitin. Keys and Building Security Keywatcher is an autmated key filing and tracking system that allws staff members t access keys by cde and fingerprint RAs are issued a unique identifier t access keys in Keywatcher. As a Student Husing and Residential Life student staff educatr, RAs are trusted with key access t multiple rms within the building t which they are assigned. It is critical all staff are aware f, and agree t, the fllwing: RAs will maintain pssessin f the checked ut key(s) at all times Keys need t be returned immediately after use If a key(s) is lst, the respnsible RA will incur all necessary expenses When n lnger an RA, key access will be deactivated immediately Distribute campus handuts/flyers and department materials in a timely manner. Cmplete all paperwrk and assignments within the expected timeline as utlined by the Residence Life Crdinatr. Mandatry administrative tasks include, but are nt limited t: Bi-weekly reprts, ccupancy reprts, Rm Cnditin Reprts (RCRs), Incident Reprts (IRs), etc. Cmpletes ther administrative tasks as assigned. As a result f being an RA students will learn t: Explain the imprtance f cmpleting administrative paperwrk in a timely and cmplete manner. Cmplete Rm Cnditin Reprts and Occupancy Reprts with accuracy. Create mnthly bulletin bards that supprt student success. Articulate the rle f RAs in maintaining key security. Describe the benefits f serving n a building-specific r departmental cmmittee. Cmmitments beynd the Psitin Yur direct supervisr must apprve any utside cmmitments, including pre-existing r new emplyment and/r leadership pprtunities (beynd the expected 20 hurs/week expectatin when yu are directly interacting with residents). This is in place because these utside hurs have been demnstrated t interfere with an RAs ability t be a successful staff member. This includes the fllwing limitatins: Due t its fcus n relatinships and custmer service within yur building, yu may wrk up t 20 hurs per week at the service desk (it is likely yu will be scheduled less than 20 hurs). This is a separate psitin called Desk Assistant, paid hurly, and supervised by the Custmer Service Representative f that building/area. If chsing t wrk utside ur residential cmmunities (nt at a service desk), yu may wrk up t 10 hurs per week. If chsing t wrk inside and utside ur residential cmmunities, yu may wrk up t 10 hurs utside the residence halls and up t 10 hurs as a Desk Assistant. T hnr academic cmmitments, if yu are participating in a fr-credit internship, practicum, student teaching, etc, yu may wrk up t 20 hurs per week (internship and any emplyment hurs must be equal t r less than 20 hurs per week). The gal f this cmpnent f the psitin descriptin is t allw RAs t participate in academic fr-credit pprtunities, n and ff-campus emplyment (utside the residence halls), r t wrk as a Desk Assistant in ur residential cmmunities fr a cllective ttal f n mre than 20 hurs a week. Fr example, yu culd wrk 4 hurs as a DA, the CRWC fr 10 hurs, and have an internship fr 6 hurs every week. RAs will submit their schedule f classes and ther cmmitments utside f the psitin t their supervisr ne week befre classes begin each semester. As a reminder, University f Hustn students can nt wrk mre than 20 hurs per week during Fall and Spring semesters. Nte: Pending an RAs perfrmance, their supervisr may limit any f the abve hurs (DA, n r ff-campus emplyment, and/r fr-credit pprtunities) until the staff member s perfrmance imprves.

7 Required Events Fully participate in the Fall and Spring RA training prgrams/sessins. Fall Training begins August 5 th, 2013, lasts until the first day f classes, and generally ges frm 8am- 7pm daily, with days that may be lnger r shrter. Spring Training is typically the 1 st week prir t schl staring in January (tentatively Mnday Jan 6 th, 2014) Assists in the selectin f the RA Staff. The Grup Selectin Prcess is ne-3 full days in mid-february 2014 (cmmittee will chse dates) Individual RA interviews will ccur ver tw weeks in early February 2014 (subject t change based upn applicant numbers). Prepare, advertise fr, and lead, flr/cmmunity meetings (at minimum a few per semester.) All RA s are als required t wrk/attend the fllwing events. Dates will be prvided by the end f training each semester. Frntier Fiesta Family Weekend Cugar Preview Welcme Week EVALUATION Frmal evaluatins are cnducted bi-yearly by the RA's direct supervisr with input frm students, ther RA's, and Student Husing and Residence Life student affairs educatrs. Perfrmance while serving as a Student Husing and Residential Life student staff educatr will be used t determine eligibility t be rehired fr the fllwing year. COMPENSATION This psitin is cntracted thrugh Student Husing and Residential Life with the fllwing cmpensatin: RAs are prvided ne single rm space fr the duratin f appintment (space t be assigned based upn cmmunity needs) It is expected RAs live in their assigned space thrughut the duratin f the psitin. Resident Assistants shall receive a cmpensatin package that includes a single rm and a meal plan. Bard is available nly when cafeteria facilities are pen t residents. Meal Plan Staff members are prvided a meal plan and are expected t use this plan during the curse f an academic semester t build relatinships with residents wh live in their cmmunity. NOTE: Cmpensatin in the frm f husing and bard is excluded frm incme subject t taxes as lng as yur psitin requires yu live n the premises, husing is furnished fr the cnvenience f the university and fr a substantial nn-cmpensatry business reasn, and it is a cnditin f emplyment necessitated by the prper perfrmance f duties (SAMs 03.D.06). All RAs (excluding Calhun Lfts) will be issued a phne (land line) t be used thrughut the duratin f emplyment and must be returned when emplyment ends. When n-campus dining ptins are clsed (fr the entire day), Student Husing and Residential Life staff will prvide fd and/r remuneratin fr RAs n Duty. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT Upn terminatin f the psitin, all necessary paperwrk must be cmpleted. If an RA chses t resign, they will write a letter f resignatin and give it t their supervisr. Failure t fllw this dcument, the requirements r the directin f an RA s supervisr will result in disciplinary actin up t and including early terminatin. Shuld an RAs psitin be terminated (by the department r RA) prir t the end f the perid f emplyment, that individual will be relcated at their expense t anther lcatin utside f the staff area fr which they were n duty fr and rent will be pr-rated. Any Resident Assistant can be terminated fr vilatin f University f Hustn r Student Husing and Residence Life plicy r public law at any time deemed necessary.

8 It is the RAs respnsibility t meet with their direct supervisr t determine an apprpriate husing reassignment and t schedule an appintment t return RA supplies/materials and check ut f their current assignment. RAs als are financially respnsible fr any unreturned items and, if applicable, an imprper check ut fee charges will be psted t the students accunt If an RA is remved frm their psitin, they have an pprtunity t appeal the decisin in writing within three business days frm terminatin. Appeals can be submitted t the Assciate Directr f Student Husing and Residence Life. Resident Assistants wh resign r are terminated frm the psitin are subject t penalties assciated with the departmental purchase f a meal plan. Meal plans are nn-transferable, as such, resignatin r terminatin f the psitin may result in the frmer emplyee being charged the remaining pr-rated amunt f their meal plan. In the case that a frmer emplyee resigns r is terminated frm the psitin and chses t live ff campus, the frmer emplyee may be subject t nrmal husing penalties assciated with breaking the husing agreement. Prir t signing, please reflect n the fllwing qute abut the RA psitin: This is the best jb yu can pssibly have as an undergraduate. It will teach yu what yur strengths and weaknesses are and reveal t yu hw selfish yu can ccasinally be. It will test yur relatinships with significant thers and put at least a temprary strain n yur academics. Yu will experience here-t-nw undreamed f levels f stress and yu will live under the careful scrutiny f critics wh bserve and cmment upn each actin yu undertake. Yu will bserve the best and wrst f human persnhd. Yu will want t quit, sme will, but fr thse f yu wh stick it ut and fcus n serving their fellw students... yu will be rewarded with the greatest experience f all. Yu will earn the trust f yur peers, be f value t thers, and learn hw t functin in cmmunity and sciety. This has a steep price tag and I urge yu t cnsider the cst f the meal befre yu sit dwn t the table. Will Keim, frmer RA, Residence Life Crdinatr, and current student affairs educatr. The infrmatin belw indicates basic respnsibilities and expectatins f all Resident Assistants at The University f Hustn. Upn selectin, yu will be asked t sign an agreement stating yu understand and agree t these items. I understand the RA psitin begins n Mnday, August 5 th, 2013 and autmatically terminates n May 31, I accept the duties f the psitin and will perfrm them as utlined. I agree t accept additinal duties as directed in training r meetings r by my direct supervisr, nt explicitly listed in this dcument. If I have any individual needs r accmmdatins that wuld restrict me frm perfrming any part f the RA duties, I have already requested these needs in writing with my direct supervisr fr next year. I understand RA duties d require sme physical wrk that wuld include climbing up t flights f stairs, walking between buildings, and lifting bjects. I understand that as an RA, I may be mved r reassigned t anther residence hall at the discretin f the Residence Life Crdinatr.