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Ara Supplement to the Ra Job description

These duties replace or direct current RA duties.

The Academic Resident Assistant positions is a specialized staff position that provides academic support and referral for first-year students in residence hall communities.  The following supplemental description outlines alterations from the traditional Resident Assistant position for ARAs.  Please also refer to the Resident Assistant description located in this chapter of your RLSH manual.

Training and Opening

  • Present ARA role to in-community staff; discuss how they can support ARA role
  • Introduce ARA position to residents and parents
  • During 1st floor meetings, visit other floors and introduce ARA role.  If your community has chosen to do an all-hall meeting (or portion of the meeting), ask your supervisor to set aside a section for you to speak about your position
  • Create and distribute ARA letter for residents (Fall and January)
  • Exempt from: ARAs are not required to sign-up to assist with New Student Programs events such as casino night, organizational fair, Rotunda Passage, etc
  • Exempt from: ARAs will not assist with opening desk coverage at the Area Desk

Meetings/Committees

  • Weekly ARA staff meetings (time/date TBD)
  • RLSH Council Committee designated as Academic Excellence Reception (No additional committee or collateral assignment within your community is required)
  • Exempt from: Expectation to attend RHA and Hall/Community Council meetings

On-call

  • Offer time for academic conferences while on-call as needed

Communication

  • Program proposal/evaluation for programs should be completed using LEC forms rather than the cornerstone form located in The Playbook. Program proposal/evaluation should be submitted to ARA co-supervisors and community supervisor
  • Weekly contact with residents via email (including academic tips, dates of LEC workshops and/or ARA programs in community
  • Set up folders to email to save/send/receive email with students, staff, supervisors
  • Weekly contact sheets submitted to LEC
  • Post LEC flyers in all communities; replace if vandalized

Programming

  • One cornerstone program per month designated as learning cornerstone (and focused on academics) to be approved by ARA co-supervisors.  ARAs are encouraged to partner with an RA in their community
  • Bulletin boards should be focused on academic success content (to be completed by date set by individual community supervisor)
  • Make 4 copies of academic poster to trade with ARAs un your area of campus; rotates in your area so that a different poster is put up each month
  • Submit end of semester self-evaluation to ARA co-supervisors
  • Exempt from: One floor bulletin board

Compensation

Academic Resident Assistants receive traditional RA compensation of room and board plan. Additional compensation is provided in the form of $200 in Pony money per semester to be used at the staff member's discretion