Resident Assistant (RA) Information

2012-13 RA Recruitment

What Comes Next

Apply to be an RA

Resources
Here’s what you need to know for different stages of the selection process!
After submitting your application
  • Make sure  your supplemental materials are in (recommendations and unofficial transcript). These are all due to the central housing office by the application deadline of January 29th.
  • Expect to hear from us on February 6th. On that day, we’ll provide you with your application status and your interview times for both group and individual interviews if you are moving forward in the selection process.
  • If you are moving forward, please make sure to note your interview times. Arrive on time and prepared to interview. If this is your first interview, you may want to look into resources for interviewing. The University Career Center has some great resources to assist you in preparing for interviews!
Once Interviews are Complete:
  • Notification Date: February 18, 2013, 11am-4pm. You will need to pick up your notification letter at  Cary & Belvidere Residential College, 301 W. Cary St. Selected RA’s and Alternates will have until February 22, 2013 to either accept or decline their offer and return all paperwork to the Residential Life & Housing Office located in Cary & Belvidere.
I’ve been selected to receive an RA position! What do I need to do?
  • Each newly selected RA candidate is required to attend a 3 credit RA class in the fall semester, EDUS 476. Please note that you cannot carry more than 15 credit hours in other courses and take the RA class. More information will be given to newly selected staff in your offer packet. Be sure to read it all!
  • All selected RAs will be required to attend a Financial Aid Information Session. Information on dates and times will be found in your offer packet. This includes all selected staff, regardless of new or returning status.
  • All selected RAs will be required to attend the 2013-2014 staff retreat on April 14, 2013 from 1pm-6pm. Please be sure to keep this date open on your calendar! More information on location and anything you need to prepare for the retreat will be included in your offer packet.
  • All selected RAs are required to return to campus in late July/early August to begin RA training. If selected, you will be given more information about RA training, but please note that you must be able to attend ALL of training in order to be an RA. Training typically runs all day for a two week period.
  • Please be advised that this prohibits an RA from registering for summer classes in the last summer session without prior approval from a professional staff member with housing.
  • Please note that if you are selected to be an RA ina  12 month area, you may be asked to return even earlier, as contracts in 12 month areas  begin in mid-July.
I’ve been selected as an Alternate. What do I need to do?
  • First and foremost, don’t panic! Receiving an alternate status basically means that we wanted to select you for staff, but we just didn’t have enough spots available. If we have an unanticipated vacancy, you’re in a small pool from which we’ll typically choose in order to fill that vacancy.
  • We don’t list our alternates in priority order. That is, there’s not someone that’s #1, another person #2, etc. Because our staff are thoughtfully selected and placed, each member of our staff is placed in order to complement other members on staff and to meet the needs of the specific building and population. As such, when an unanticipated vacancy arises, we select the alternates based upon what qualities that staff is missing.
  • All selected RAs and alternates will be required toa ttend a Financial Aid Information session. Information on dates and times can be found in your offer letter. This includes first time RAs and returning RAs as well as alternates.
  • We often pull from our alternate pool as early as a day or two after offers go out. As a result, you may be asked to attend the 2013-2014 staff retreat. Please keep April 14, 2013 from 1pm-6pm free and open on your calendar!
  • Think carefully about your housing options for next year.  If you are offered a position, it can be tricky to impossible to break a lease if you’ve signed a contract for off-campus housing.
Summer 2013 RA Selection

Summer Resident Assistant Duties

Serve as point person for a floor of summer residents in Rhoads Hall or MCV Low Rises. Be available to residents and serve as a resource, mediator, advisor, and crisis responder. Respond to student situations, policy violations, and emergencies. Plan/implement social activities for summer residents. Participate in a rotating, on-duty coverage from 4:30pm to 8am on weekdays. Participate in a rotating, 24-hour duty coverage on weekends. Live in assigned residence hall room (nights away must be approved by supervisor).

Dates of Employment

  • Saturday, May 11, 2013 to Saturday, August 10, 2013

Compensation

  • Room for the summer in assigned building plus hourly wage
Application Information

Applications are not yet available for Summer 2013. Please check back in late February/early March for updated information. Tentative hiring decisions will be made in April and formal offers will be made pending a background check and I-9 verification. Some training will likely occur prior to the May 11th start date.

Contact Us

Please contact BeAnRA@vcu.edu if you have any questions about the application process.

Links/Resources

New Incoming Students (2013-14)

Current Students (2012-13)

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Office of Residential Life & Housing

301 W. Cary St.
P.O. Box 842530
Richmond, Va. 23284
Phone: (804) 828-7666
E-mail: vcuhousing@vcu.edu