Out of all the housing positions, the resident adviser is one of the most overlooked and underappreciated roles on campus.
On every floor in every building there is an RA who is in charge of that floor in all sorts of ways. Being an RA comes with a lot of work. Besides your school schedule, you also have to deal with potential issues, violations and residents. But along with the responsibilities come the perks.
Most people see the free housing and meal plan as the only benefit to being an RA, but there is much more to it.
For some residents, especially those leaving home for the first time, an RA is a role model and someone to look up to. They can be an influential figure. The connections they build with residents and the community they create are a huge part of the overall experience for everyone on the floor.
North Campus Communities second floor RA Tabitha Stoner is a first-year RA who broke down what the job looks like day to day.
“It’s a lot of things. The basics are like, I go on duty, I make sure that everything in the area is working as it’s supposed to be, like nobody’s in need of help or something,” Stoner said. “I’m also around if residents are having issues, or there’s noise, or the many possible violations, whatever could be going on.”
Stoner also touches on the community building side of the role.
“There’s also community building, like I put on events within just our area for people to connect with other people. You don’t have to be interested in a specific thing to be a part of the community where you live.”
Stoner has enjoyed her time as an RA but admits there are pros and cons to the job.
“You get to help people. That was a big part of why I got into it,” Stoner said. “You also get free housing, a stipend and a meal plan. But cons, you live where you work. There are days you can take off, which is great, but one of the things the housing director loves to tell us is we live in a fishbowl.”
To become an RA it takes dedication, will and sacrifice, but the role can make a real difference in a community.
To apply, candidates answer questions in the UI housing portal, followed by extensive interviews and additional steps.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected].