1)
Communicate
☻
Model, encourage,
and support the Honor Code and Southern Virginia values.
☻
Hold floor meetings
to keep residents informed and to develop unity.
☻
Be aware of student
concerns by attending Student Association meetings.
☻
Develop the skill of
being a thoughtful listener for the residents in your area.
☻
Report student
concerns to the Resident Director and/or Dean of Students.
☻
Confront violations
of rules and procedures and report them to the Resident Director.
☻
Keep open
communication with the Director of Housing.
☻
Inform Maintenance
of building repairs needed in a timely manner.
2)
Facilitate
☻
Help students
resolve personal concerns.
☻
Maintain a safe
environment in the residence facilities.
☻
Respond to
emergencies in your building.
☻
Establish an
enjoyable environment of fellowship and academic excellence.
☻
Help residents by
sponsoring and/or coordinating positive social activities.
☻
Serve as an active member of your residence
hall council.
3)
Care for University
property
☻
Assist with check-in
and check-out.
☻
Run safety, security
and cleanliness checks.
☻
Account for
furniture in the rooms and lounges.
☻
Account for all room
keys for your residence area.
☻
Account for any damage
within the residence area.
4) The Residence Life Department of Southern Virginia
University
(Not yet finished)
Model,
encourage, and support the Honor Code and Southern Virginia Values.
As
a Resident Assistant you will need to become fully acquainted with and
supportive of SVU’s residential living guidelines and code of conduct. Learn
them well, because you will be responsible for increasing awareness of these
values among your peers.
The Following can be found in
the Knight Student Handbook
One of the most important aspects of your job involves Southern
Virginia University’s values and standards. There are four aspects to your role
concerning these values: to model, encourage, support, and enforce the values
of the university.
Needless
to say, the effects of hypocrisy can be damaging. You will quickly lose respect and influence if you tell your
residents to stop doing something that you do yourself.
Publicize,
instruct, and train residents in your area regarding policy and procedures that
affect the living conditions of your residence area.
You will be responsible for holding your residents accountable for the following policies and procedures:
Do
your best to inform them of these procedures at every appropriate instance.
Here is a summary of items that are not allowed in rooms (found
on page 10 of the
Knight Handbook):
There
are a few additional policies that are not covered in the Residential Living
Policies section of the Knight Handbook.
During the course of the year (and especially at the beginning),
you might get questions about how a resident can personalize his room. Here are
a few guidelines to help you. Ask the Director of Housing if you have further
questions.
The Director of Housing must approve all room changes because it
is her responsibility to update the central database, inform IT of room
occupancy for voice mail purposes, and keep an updated phone list for on-campus
students. The Room Change Request (RCR)
must be used for all moves during the year. Have the resident fill it out, and
present it to the Director of Housing for approval. If a resident does not follow proper procedure and sign an RCR,
he or she will lose his or her housing deposit.
In rare circumstances,
and if the Director of Housing is not available, the RD can make an emergency
room change with the understanding that it is not necessarily a permanent
solution. There is no $25 fee assessed
when a person is asked by a member of Residence Life Staff to change
rooms.
For information on signing someone out of an old room and into a
new room, see “Assist with check-in and check-out under “Care for University
Property”.
There are some exceptions to the rules. Between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 7 p.m., the following opposite-gender people may visit a
resident:
Other
Exceptions:
Issues concerning on-campus homes.
The following issues apply to the on-campus homes referred to as
the “Speas”, “Brandt”, “Caputo”, “Olmo”, “Bradshaw” homes, and Modulars 1 and
2. Discuss these issues with your
residents, assign duties and duty rotation, and follow up regularly during the
school year.
·
Cleaning of Bathrooms, including
sink, toilet, and tub.
·
Cleaning of hallways and living
rooms, including vacuuming, emptying trash, and removing clutter.
·
Cleaning of kitchens, including the
sink, stove, and refrigerator.
·
Trash disposal.
·
Parking.
·
Other issues that you see as a
concern.
·
Other issues that your RD or
Director of Housing may see as a concern.
Hold floor
meetings to keep residents informed and to develop unity.
Your first floor meeting is a very important time to set the
tone for your hall community.
It’s up to you how you want to run the show and what you want to
do, but there are a few things you must include:
At
different times during the semester you will need to hold mandatory meetings to
explain residence hall rules and procedures that are critical for all residents
to know. All residents will be held accountable for any information discussed
or distributed in the meeting whether or not they attend.
The
following is a suggestion for a good way to start off the year. A second-year RA submitted this idea to www.residentassistant.com.
--
My first year as an RA was spent trying to get my residents to take individual
responsibility for things getting broken on the floor. This year I came
up with a solution: The COMMUNITY CONTRACT!
At my first floor meeting for the year, I had all of my residents talk about
what problems they could foresee happening during the course of the semester
and how, as a floor, they should deal with those problems (staying within the
confines of the University's policies, of course).
Some of the rules my residents came up with ranged from cleanliness
("Don't throw your junk in the hallway! Keep the trash chute clear
of cardboard", etc) to serious ("Keep the noise down by the
elevator!") to fun The residents really got into it, and the residents
seem more concerned now with taking care of their community.
Materials: big sheet of paper
variety of color markers
I had each resident sign the contract by tracing their hands and signing their
name on their hand in the color of their choice.
During each subsequent meeting, we would reevaluate our contract and make
changes where the community felt an area needed improvement. It's a great
tool for first year RAs and for dealing with unruly residents! ("You
signed this contract, but you're not keeping up your end. How is that
fair to your floormates?")
--Jessi Bounelis,
Towson University
PS...I didn't come up with the idea of the Community Contract on my own, but
this is my version of it!!!
http://www.residentassistant.com/advice/communitycontract.htm
Be aware of
Student Association needs and activities by attending Tuesday night SA
meetings.
It
is important for all students to stay aware of Student Association
affairs. As a student leader, RA’s can
provide positive leadership and feedback at SA meetings. SA meetings are every Tuesday at 9:00. Encourage your residents to go to these
meetings to voice their concerns, debate issues that concern the student body,
and to be aware of upcoming events and activities. By attending these meetings yourself, you will be more able to
inform and serve those who are on your floor.
Develop the
skill of being a thoughtful listener for the residents in your area.
As
an RA listening skills will be your most valuable asset. Often, all a resident really needs is
someone with whom they can talk through their problems.
Read
the following talk on Listening prepared by Professor Joe Martin, the founder
and president of RealWorld University (www.rwuniversity.com) - the largest
college student success center on the internet. He teaches communications and public relations at the University
of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.
Leading by Listening
"You’re not
listening to me."
"Did you even hear a word that I said?"
"You’re missing the point."
"Why do I even bother trying to communicate with you?"
If you have
half a pulse, and you’ve actually interacted with other human beings, then
you’ve either uttered some of these words to someone in total frustration, or
worse, someone has uttered them to you with equal disdain.
There are a
lot of things that can cause you to go "postal" as a student leader,
from irresponsible student officers to apathetic faculty members. But nothing
seems to hurt us more to the core than when our ideas and concerns are
blatantly ignored or attacked.
Think about
it…remember the last time you came up with a suggestion that could possibly
increase student involvement, save the organization money, prevent a PR
nightmare, or even make an event more successful? Then what happened? You and
your ideas were either ignored like last year’s losing lottery ticket or they
were attacked like they were a threat to national security.
Next to
breathing, being heard and sincerely listened to is one of our deepest human
emotional needs. When someone really gets your message and "feels
you," you feel valued and appreciated. And when they don’t listen to you,
you feel unimportant and disregarded. Ever since we were kids, we’ve been
striving to be heard, seen, and acknowledged. And although we don’t cry about
it like babies anymore when we’re ignored, the pain is just as real today as it
was then.
Ironically,
when students usually ask me about becoming a more effective communicator, most
want to know things like how to overcome the fear of public speaking or how to
become more assertive and persuasive in a debate. To their surprise, I always
tell them that the courage to speak must also be matched by the wisdom to
listen.
Let’s face
it, if you’re going to be an effective student leader, you must first master
the art of listening before you can master the art of leadership. A leader
without any followers is just a person taking a long walk…alone.
As I
mentioned earlier, listening is at the core of our being; it’s also the most
frequent form of communication among humans. We spend more than 75% of our
waking hours listening, but less than 1% of our school time learning about it.
I’m no math genius, but those numbers don’t reflect good common sense.
If you want
your ideas and concerns to be heard and valued, you must first be willing to
appreciate the ideas and concerns of others. It all starts with effective
listening skills. The truth of the matter is that when you speak, you only know
what you know, but when you listen, you learn what others know. Listed below
are eight proven strategies you can use to become a more effective listener,
thus improving your effectiveness as a student leader:
1. Listen
with your heart, not just your head.
Some people
have turned "fake listening" into an art form, with their
orchestrated nods, perfectly-timed "okays," and "you’re
rights." No one likes to talk to someone who’s mind is always somewhere
else other than in their conversation. Listen "in the moment’ by stopping
whatever you’re doing, facing the person, and giving the person direct eye
contact.
2. Don’t
just be interesting, be interested.
If you really
want to give someone your undivided attention, listen so you can ask questions
about what they’re saying. Watch how the other person responds when you
demonstrate not only that you heard him, but you understood him as well.
3. Take
action to avoid distractions.
Hunger
cramps, fatigue, television noise, music, cold temperature, time pressures,
slang, and several other factors are all considered communication barriers. Try
to eliminate as many of them as possible "before" you engage someone
in a conversation.
4. Persistently
practice patience.
We can hear
twice as fast as we speak, and this usually causes us to become easily bored.
This explains why some teachers can cure insomnia. Don’t ever rush the speaker
to "get to the point" (regardless how tempting it is). Try to listen
for benefits that will serve you and your goals. You can start by always asking
yourself, "What can I learn from this person?"
5. Keep
your mind open and your mouth shut.
Nothing stops
us from listening quicker than an opinion that is in total opposition to our
own. Hold your judgement, and try your best to look at the situation from
"their" point of view. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
You’re not always right…but they’re not always wrong either.
6. Listen
between the lines.
We’ve all
heard the saying, "It’s not what you say, but how you say it." To
take this cliche even a step further, it’s also what they "don’t say"
that can be just as important. Make sure what people say and "don’t
say" to you are consistent with their body language, eye movement, tone of
voice, and speaking rate.
7. Focus
on the content, not just the character.
Avoid
stereotyping people based on how they sound. Southerners are not
"always" less intelligent, a person who speaks French is not
"always" more romantic, someone who uses slang is not
"always" uneducated, and so on. Listen to the person, not the
dialect. If you don’t understand, ask for clarification.
8. Put
your ego on hold.
The next time
you find yourself in a conversation with someone, pretend you’re both on a huge
stage in front of a thousand people. Whenever one of you speaks, the spotlight
is focused on that person. Your goal is to keep the spotlight off you as much
as possible. You can only do this by listening.
As with any
other skill, listening takes practice, patience, and persistence. If you focus
on mastering these eight strategies, you are well on your way to becoming a
student of influence. Not every good listener is an effective leader, but
believe me, every effective leader is a good listener. So get going and start
leading by listening.
Report student
concerns to the Resident Director and/or Dean of Students
Resident
Assistants are facilitators. Your job
is to be a source of strength and support for others, especially those who are
assigned to your floor. At times this
can be very difficult. Be sure to take
time out for yourself, and be sure to remember that you are not alone. If you have a concern for a student, be sure
to share your concern with your RD or the Dean of Students. He or she will work with you to help the
person without breaking any confidentiality, and will guide you in the proper
direction for finding more help.
See
also “Help students resolve personal concerns”
Confront
violations of rules and procedures and report them to the Resident Director.
As
a Resident Assistant, you are an employee of the school. You will often find yourself in a situation
were you witness or are made aware of an Honor Code or Housing Policy
violation. It is your job to confront
this behavior, to see that it stops immediately, and to report it to the RD. While part of the RA job is enforcing
policy, you should not have an "I'm out to getcha" attitude.
This shows through and will not help with the relationship you have with your
residents.
It
is not the laws or the policies that are most important to discuss, but the
concern for the well-being of the individuals who are breaking the rules, or
the well-being of the person or property being put in harm’s way. Admit
you are concerned, and to prevent further trouble, your intervention is
needed. Instill that you do not want
anyone to have to get in trouble, but to think responsibly. Finally remember
their choice to violate a policy is a choice - it is not who they are, likewise
their response to you is a response to their lack of respect for policy - not
personal.
Really,
all of the rules have to do with respect.
A good resident will remember to respect
If you encounter an honor code or housing policy violation, you
must do the following:
Guess
what ... you are! You are duty-bound to investigate and report any instance of
an honor code and/or housing policy violation.
However, you are not a policeman – you are a resident assistant and your
job is to assist and serve the residents of your facility to the very best of
your ability and to refer those problems that you are unable to resolve on your
own in a timely manner.
Remember: your role is not to
decide who is guilty of what, simply to report what you observe.
Assure the resident that he or she
will be given a fair hearing and a chance to give his or her side of the story.
If a resident asks you to “let me
off this one time,” you can let him or her know politely that you would lose
your job if you did.
Natural
instinct teaches us to blame others when we get called out for doing something.
Most likely when you confront a violation you will be blamed for being too
strict, the school will be blamed for being too strict, or another person will
be blamed as causing them to do it.
Remember and remind the person that you are confronting that it is them
that caused them to be in trouble, not you or the school or the rules. If they try to change the subject or point
fingers, simply say, “That’s not the issue, the issue is ____, I need you to
tell me everything you know.” Use this
simple phrase over and over like a broken record and they will soon learn that
they can’t fool you.
Don’t be shy
Ask for help! You aren’t alone, and you probably aren’t
the expert. Utilize the resources on
your staff, in your hall and on your campus.
Think of yourself as a "Referral Agent."
Know when to refer and who to refer to!
There are some important points to remember when completing an
Incident Report. Remember, this report will carry a lot of weight with
the Case Review Committee or the Honor Council. Take it seriously.
When you’re finished, turn in the Incident Report to your
RD.
Occasionally you might feel that there is a values violation or
dangerous situation in a location where you need to open a locked door or
conduct a search. If so, use the following guidelines and procedures.
1.
Get help as soon as possible from another staff member or Campus
Safety.
2. Obtain a Request
for Search Authorization form and a Search Authorization form from
your area office. Send someone else to obtain the form if possible so that you
can monitor the situation.
3. Fill out the Request
for Search Authorization, and take it along with the Search
Authorization form to one of the following people for authorization: an RD,
the Director of Housing, the Vice President and Dean of Students, the Director
of Campus Safety, or a supervisor in Campus Safety. You may send another staff
member to get the form signed if you want to stay and monitor the situation.
4. Once you have
the signed Search Authorization, ask another Residence Life staff member
or a Campus Safety officer (depending on the situation) to go with you to
search the room. The person who signed the Search Authorization should
not conduct or help you conduct the search.
5. Knock on the
door, state your name, and ask if you can come in. Once inside, ask for
permission to search the room. (Do not use the Search Authorization until
you need it.) You may use the master key to enter the room if no one answers
the door, but be sure you have made a reasonable attempt at making your
presence known.
6. If any
contraband is found, list the items/persons on the Search Authorization form,
and have all persons involved, including all witnesses, sign the form. Let the
resident know that he is signing the form to confirm the items taken, not as an
admission of guilt. Leave a copy of the form with the resident. If the resident
is not there, leave a copy in the room.
7. If the
resident violated a value, complete an Incident Report (see “Incident Reports”).
8. Always
complete a Morning Report following a search.
If
you feel the situation could become threatening, call Campus Safety (2020)
immediately.
You may search a
room without a signed Search Authorization when:
Keep open
communication with the Director of Housing.
Occupancy Reports give
Residence Life accurate records of where every resident is living. This helps
us in several ways:
The Director of Housing will begin accepting room
change request forms on Wednesday of the second week of class when the RDs turn
in the final occupancy reports.
Duties of the Director of Housing that may be delegated to you:
·
Inventory Rooms to make sure they have the furniture that is
required (see “Account for furniture in the rooms and lounges” in this
handbook)
·
Check dorms for necessary repairs and submit a work order if
necessary to Buildings/Grounds/Maintenance and then follow up to make sure that
work is completed. (See “Inform Maintenance of building repairs needed…” in
this manual)
·
Control key inventory. (See “Account for all room keys…” in this
manual)
Other important duties of the
Director of Housing:
The Director of Housing may have
questions for you that need to be answered in a timely manner. Please respond quickly to any messages that
you receive from her.
Inform
Maintenance of building repairs needed in a timely manner.
Included in your RA notebook are forms titled “Request for Maintenance Work Order”. This form is used for reporting necessary building repairs that you may encounter in your building. Be sure to only include one item per work order. This is necessary because one certain job may be completed by an electrician, another by Buildings and Grounds, etc., depending upon the nature of the work needed.
Items to pay close attention to:
Help students
resolve personal concerns.
Lockouts
When a resident gets locked out of his room, you can assist her
by using your master key. Do not simply
hand them the key; walk with them to their room and open it for them. Never let the master key out of your
sight.
Never let a resident into another
resident’s room for any reason. If you think there is a legitimate concern,
contact an RD.
The Director of Housing maintains the campus lost and found. If
a lost item is reported to you, take it to the Director of Housing as soon as
possible. If someone comes by looking for a lost item, direct the person to the
Director of Housing.
Emotional Concerns
You are not a trained
counselor, but you can be thoughtful a listener and provide upperclassmen
guidance. Be a friend and advocate for
residents living in the hall or house.
Respond kindly to students having problems. Help resolve issues amicably.
Meet
with each assigned resident within the first two weeks to become acquainted
with him or her. Make informal weekly
visits to residents to maintain contact and discuss their concerns. You have to love the people.
“In placing people as a
higher priority than projects, products, and profits, divine-centered leaders
keep in mind the Lord’s injunction to “remember the worth of souls is great in
the sight of God” (D&C 18:10).
People are more important because they are of divine significance: they
are divine beings with divine potential.
Remembering the divine nature of each person leads divine-centered
leaders to respect, value, and love those being led. Interpersonal interactions are never conducted for the sole
benefit of the leader, or merely as a means to an end. Instead, divine-centered leaders view all
with whom they interact as individuals who are eternally connected and of
infinite worth.” (Divine-Centered
Leadership, p.57, Michael R. McCleve and Wm. Brent Barclay.)
As
an RA your residents may need you to be there to help them develop ground rules
for roommates with issues, and to help resolve conflicts should they
occur. Remember the roommates’ bill of
rights in the knight planner; it can be a valuable resource for roommate
conflicts.
Always
remember to keep things confidential.
Only you and persons who are immediately involved in the situation need
to know about it. It is important to
your residents to see that you keep things confidential; otherwise they will
not come to you for support.
Students
come to college dealing with a variety of difficulties. Many have psychological disorders ranging
from depression and anger management issues to anorexia and paranoia. Alcohol and drug addiction is a serious
problem in any University, even at SVU, and as RA’s you will need to be
aware of red flags that can make you aware that someone needs your help.
Does
a resident have sparse class attendance, withdraws from social activity, is not
doing well in school, etc.? These could be signs of a very serious
problem. However, if you notice any of
these occurring with a particular resident don't jump to conclusions at first.
Here
are some common issues that students today face:
Paranoia
Anger
Depression
Anorexia
Bulimia
OCD
Addiction
More
training and information will be made available to you throughout the year
concerning these subjects.
See
also: Emergency Procedures “Psychological Emergencies”
Tips for Helping Students with Disorders
Know the campus and community resources; know your limits; and
know when to refer students!
Maintain a
safe environment in the residence halls.
The
safety of the residents should be the number one concern of a Resident
Assistant. Remember this when doing
fire drills, when doing Health, Safety and Cleanliness Inspections, and
in other interactions with your residents.
Keep doors locked
Remind
your residents to lock their doors. If
you find out that someone does not lock their doors regularly, find out why and
encourage them to do so.
Let’s avoid fires at all costs. Prevention is the key. When doing your Health, Safety, and Cleanliness Inspections, be sure to check for fire hazards such as plugs, heaters, halogen lamps, candles or evidence of candles, incense or evidence of incense, or any improper equipment. As cliché as it may sound, it really is better to be safe than sorry. For more information on Inspections, see the Inspections section under “Care for SVU property”.
When
it comes to fires, being prepared will save lives. Be sure that the Residents are trained in advance (see “Your
first floor meeting”) on what to do if the fire alarm goes off. There will be two fire drills per
semester. The date or time cannot be
announced, therefore, you must always be prepared to assist in fire
drills. Account for all of the people
in your floor or home, and then report to the Dean of Students once everyone is
safe. It is important to do this
correctly, because in the case of a real fire, rescue workers will come to you
to find out where people are!
How
to teach Fire Drills.
Each building has a specific meeting place
for fire evacuations. Visually
demonstrate the designated meeting place to each resident.
See
also: “Respond to Emergencies in your
Building”
Often
you will see people in your building that you do not recognize. If you feel safe, ask the strangers
name and if he or she needs help finding something. It may be a guest or family member of a resident. (See the “Publicize, instruct, and train
residents” section for exceptions to the visitation policy). If the stranger refuses to give their name,
or is acting suspiciously, contact campus security and the RD immediately. Security cell phone number is (9) 570-1927
Guests
staying in a student’s room are welcome with the following stipulations:
Any
guest must be approved by you (the RA) and fill out the “Visitors Information”
sheet upon arrival. Blank copies are
located in your RA notebook. Keep the
signed sheet and give it to your RD as soon as possible. Follow up with the guest to be sure that he
or she follows the guidelines listed above.
Each
building has it’s own safety issues.
Contact your RD for information specific to your building.
(Ginger is working on this one)
Establish an
enjoyable environment of fellowship and academic excellence.
Each life that touches ours
for good,
Reflects thine own great
mercy Lord.
Thou sendest blessings from
above,
Through words and deeds of
those who love.
What greater gift dost thou
bestow,
What greater goodness can we
know,
Than Christ-like friends,
whose gentle ways
Strengthen our faith, enrich
our days.
LDS Hymns, p. 293
The
atmospheres at SVU as well as the excellent academics are the crown jewels of
the SVU experience. Most students make
their homes within the walls of the resident buildings at SVU with the hope and
expectation that they will be part of a community of saints. The SVU experience should involve an
atmosphere of love, friendship, and excellence. Resident Assistants are facilitators in ensuring that a sense of
community and belonging occurs within each floor of the SVU Residence
Halls.
It is important to have activities
and to encourage everyone to get to know each other within your floor.
See “Help Residents by sponsoring
and/or coordinating positive social activities” for information on programming
activities.
Take pictures during the academic year, especially during activities and on special days. Show these pictures for an activity near the end of the semester, perhaps as a slideshow. Be sure that everyone feels included.
Discourage
profanity, uncleanliness, and rude behavior.
Treat everyone with respect and encourage others to do so. Have everyone take an active approach to
maintaining an excellent atmosphere at SVU.
During exam week each semester,
quiet hours are 24 hours a day.
Help residents
by sponsoring and/or coordinating positive social activities.
Passive Programming - Programming that does not
involve the direct participation of the RA (or whoever does the program).
A good example of a passive program is a bulletin board or an educational
poster.
Active Programming - In contrast to passive programming, active programming is
what the name implies. Some organized event or activity in which you and
your residents take and active role. This could be anything from a hike
to a nutrition education workshop.
Program, program,
program!!
Programming is an essential
part of the RA position. It is through programming, both formal
and informal, that you will connect with your residents and build those
critical relationships. It will help your residents in many areas of
their development.
Things to remember when planning
Don't do all the work!
Utilize the resources that you already have available!
Get help from as many people as possible.
Don’t be afraid to delegate!
Bring in the experts!
You DON'T know everything, (sorry) so bring in someone who
does. Ask a community businessperson to come in and speak about what
employers are looking for, or have an employee at the health center help with
your nutrition program. Again, you don't need to do all the work!
Resources:
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/cssa406-506/dynamic/
http://www.wiu.edu/users/mirac/main_page.htm
Step by
Step Program Planning
Step 1 |
Build relationships with those you are going to plan programs
for - the stronger the community the more likely you will be doing things
together naturally and they won't even know they just attended a program.
(Don't underestimate this one!) |
Step 2 |
Learn what you can about the group you're programming
for. What have they seen in the past , what are the future directions
or trend on topics they seem interested in. |
Step 3 |
Find out what their schedules are like. Nights of the week
they are around and time of the day. |
Step 4 |
Plan a date. Spontaneous programs happen, but if you're
deciding a topic or issue set a date and use your advisor or supervisor to
help keep you on track. |
Step 5 |
Brainstorm the title and method you will use to publicize
it. When you get an idea it is easier to plan the rest to work with
your publicity gimmicks. Plan to post your publicity 4-7 days before
the event - if it is a big event, maybe a few days earlier than that. |
Step 6 |
Make an outline of the program. What follows what and
how will you transition between each part of the program. (Put a time
estimate on each) What is your closure - what is your wrap up? |
Step 7 |
Make a list of things that you will need and when you will
need them. |
Step 8 |
Make your publicity but make sure your date is confirmed with
all those involved and space is reserved if necessary. |
Step 9 |
The day before your program confirm every thing from speakers
to location. |
Step 10 |
Plan to be on site at least 30 minutes early. |
Step 11 |
Enjoy the work put into the program! |
Step 12 |
Evaluate the program - what went well, what didn't, and why? |
Step 13 |
Thank those that helped you! Don't forget to do this,
make it a priority. |
Step 14 |
Fill out an evaluation form. |
From:
http://www.wiu.edu/users/mirac/program_info_1.htm#Myths
of Programming
Ten Deadly
Myths of Programming
1 |
|
The size of the audience is EVERYTHING. If there are not 40
people, then I have failed. Numbers should never be an evaluation of
success. The size of the audience is more important to your ego than to
the benefit of the person present and the program. |
2 |
|
All programs cost a good deal of money to succeed or
Spending=Success. The amount of funds has nothing to do with the
potential of the event. Speakers are almost always free and publicity
supplies are provided by the department. |
3 |
|
If you succeed with one kind of program then you should use it
exclusively. There really is such a thing as too much of a good
thing. People are not going to go to the same kind of program every
time. You have a diverse floor that will need diverse programs. |
4 |
|
Programming is easy and does not require much work.
Looks can be deceiving. Programs that don't have a lot of work put into
them will inevitably look that way. The message is that you don't care
about your programs - and then people will respond to you that way. It
is the program that is well thought out, organized, and publicized that looks
quality. |
5 |
|
Doing everything yourself is the best way to program. No
one says that you have to do this all by yourself. You can involve fellow
staff members or even better your own floor members. That way you
receive the benefits of awarded creativity, less individual work, alternative
ideas, and helping others take leadership!! |
6 |
|
Planning ahead is dumb because things will change before then
and besides, my residents won't plan ahead to be there. If course
things will change, but you have to account for that. A well planned
program can withstand those last minute changes - especially if you account
for possible problems with you plan. |
7 |
|
There's nothing to do on this campus. There is always
something to do on a college campus. Take your residents to something
they would not normally think to do like a student organization meeting or
even something a bit out there like bowling becomes a great time when a group
goes. Remember a strong community creates much of its own growth. |
8 |
|
If the program is good the publicity isn't important or
Word-of-Mouth is the best way to publicize. Publicity is vital to
people responding to your program. If nobody knows the facts then
nobody goes. Many great program have died in their tracks because of
poor attention to publicity. |
9 |
|
It's not my fault that they don't want to do anything.
OK, so maybe it's not exactly your fault, but you have to work pretty hard to
totally un-motivate a whole floor of residents. If you can get
relationships established with your floor members and them with each other
they naturally will do all kinds of activities together - are you starting to
see a theme here. |
10 |
|
Pizza Equals Community. It is simply not true. Think
about what exactly does equal community in your eyes. If the
relationships on your floor are strong then they will show up without food. |
From:
http://www.wiu.edu/users/mirac/program_info_1.htm#Myths
of Programming
Serve as an active member of your Residence Hall Council.
What is Hall Council?
A hall council is the governing body for the individual building that it’s members represent. The RD is the Chairperson, with the RA’s as Co-Chairs. A faculty advisor also participates. The council is made up of residents in the hall that have been elected to represent their portion of the hall, and others who have volunteered to perform important functions.
What do they do?
The biggest responsibility of a hall council is to provide programming that improves the atmosphere within the Residence Hall. They also discuss concerns and follow up on assignments that are made.
Who can participate?
Anyone
and everyone can volunteer to help out their Hall Council in one capacity or
another, or simply enjoy the activities that the Hall Council plans.
What is an RA’s particular role in
Hall Council?
They
are employees of the school, but they also know all of the people. Therefore, they are vital facilitators in
ensuring an enjoyable, school-approved Residence Hall Council agenda.
Participate in
all of the training activities that are made available to you including
listening skills, CPR and First Aid training, and Fire Safety training.
These
training activities are not only for your benefit, but for the benefit of those
who are under your stewardship. Fully
participation in these training seminars can literally save lives.
Talk
about the schedule of training, what training is available, and what is
expected. (not determined yet)
Assist with
check-in and checkout.
The Residence Evaluation Form (REF) provided in your RA notebook
is used to track the condition of a room for each resident of the room. The
sheet serves several purposes:
Complete the following items for each resident you check in:
Within the first few days following check-in, visit each room
and get to know your residents. This will be a great time to do the following:
There are three occasions to complete checkout procedures:
At the end of the academic year, every resident must check out
of his or her room. There are two ways a resident can check out:
Same
as above, except:
Follow
Up procedures.
Sign
all REFs and turn them in to your RD.
Be sure that you have checked the line titled “ Deposit Return Approved”
appropriately. These papers are very
important because they are all that the housing office has to determine fines
that should be assessed. These papers
are kept on file in the Housing office for years. Often collections agencies call the office to ask about
information found about theses sheets in order to determine a case. Do not take these forms lightly!
See
also “DAMAGES FOUND DURING CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT” under “Account for Damages”
Run safety,
security and cleanliness checks.
We want to maintain high standards of cleanliness and
maintenance in our facilities. It is easy to get used to a level of mediocrity
in the upkeep of the building, but please work for excellence in this area.
Treat your residents’ concerns as more important than your own.
Once a month, you will perform room inspections to identify health,
safety, electrical, and fire hazards. Room inspections are due to the Dean of
Students by the 10th of each month.
Have your inspections done by the eighth, and turn them in to your
RD. This will allow time for follow up
on those who do not pass the first time.
It is your job to remember this, as it is due on the same date every
month.
Clothes
on floor
Excessive
Clutter
Something
stinks
Floor
not vacuumed/swept
Fire
hazards (See pg 10 of the Knight Planner)
Wall
hangings are inappropriate
Removed
Furniture
University
Property that does not belong in the room
Damages
to the room
Open
food containers or packages
Overflowing
trash cans
Street
Signs (Remove them and report them to the Dean of Students)
Bathrooms very unsanitary (mold and mildew problems) in
on-campus homes
When
you recheck rooms, fill out another Monthly Room Inspection Summary Sheet for
only those rooms, and turn it in to your RD
Account for
furniture in the rooms and lounges.
The
Director of Housing needs to know a complete and accurate description of each
room in order to assign students to their rooms. She also has the duty of ordering new furniture when it is needed
and when funds are available. Thus it
is very important to keep track of what furniture we have and where it is
located. This is a big job, so we need
the help of each RA.
In
your RA notebook you will find a sheet that has an inventory of all furniture
located in your room. Each area has a
specific sheet because each area has different amounts and types of
furniture. The Director of Housing
prepared this inventory during the summer according to the number of beds
needed to house everybody.
Take
a moment before any students sign in to update the inventory, as there may have
been a few changes since the last time inventory was taken. Provide a copy of the updated inventory to your
RD, and keep the original for your records.
Use
it to keep track of where furniture should be.
If during room inspections or at the checkout you find that someone has
moved furniture, they will be assessed a $25 fine. Be sure that they are aware of this when they move in, and remind
them during the year.
The
fine is both to discourage the moving of furniture and to cover the cost of the
labor it takes to move it back to it’s original location.
A resident may move furniture
without receiving a $25 fine if they have your permission. The reason for this is that you can update
the inventory and see to it that the furniture is moved back at the
end of the year.
Account for
all room keys for your residence area.
When
you arrive on campus at the beginning of the school year, you or your RD will
receive a key box or key ring which will contain keys to be distributed among
the residents in your home or floor.
You will also be given a sub-master key if you live in Craton, Main or
Robey.
When
you distribute the keys at check-in, record the number of the key onto the
sign-in sheet. At the end of the year
when each person signs out, be sure to check the number to make sure that they
return the same key that you issued to them.
If a
student looses his or her room key, the Director of Housing can get them a new
one. Whether they get a new one or not,
the fee for a lost room key is $25.
Account for
any damage within the residence area.
We want to maintain high standards of cleanliness and
maintenance in our facilities. It is easy to get used to a level of mediocrity
in the upkeep of the building, but please work for excellence in this area.
Treat your residents’ concerns as more important than your own.
Keep a maintenance list beside your door for residents to record
their maintenance problems.
·
If someone reports a problem with a
vending machine, call the Director of Housing. Be prepared to describe the
location of the machine and the nature of the problem. She will report it to the owner of the
machine.
·
If someone reports having lost money
in the machine, have that person call the Director of housing for a
refund.
Report all cable or laundry machine problems to the Director of
Housing. If you know of a laundry
machine that doesn’t work, make an “out of order” sign and place it on the
machine so that no one else will lose their money before the problem gets fixed.
There are procedures for three types of damages:
Your RD will help you determine if damage is to
be considered community damage. If you
cannot determine which resident was responsible for damage in a room, bathroom,
or common area, the charge should be divided among all the residents of that
room or hall. Consult your RD if you have reason to think that one or more
residents should share the charges.