Apply To Be an RA
Every year, the office of residence life searches for resident assistant (RA) applicants who will be positive, passionate, and enthusiastic leaders in the residence hall communities at Franklin College. We anticipate employing 25 – 30 resident assistants across campus each academic year. Your responsibilities will be diverse and demanding, and will require a lot of time and commitment. As a resident assistant, you will be asked to:
- Be available and present when the residence halls are open
- Create and encourage a sense of community on your floor
- Be a positive role model on campus and in your community
- Be a responsive listener and referral agent for your residents
- Plan a variety of programs to facilitate individual and community development (in conjunction with departmental programming and community development expectations)
- Maintain bulletin boards on a monthly basis
- Participate in the active and on-call duty rotation (the number of duty shifts per week will vary depending on the building you are assigned)
- Assist students and address issues in the community
- Abide by and enforce all college policies
- Attend all staff meetings, in-services, and training sessions
- Be able to effectively communicate with residents and your supervisor
- Assist with the opening and closing of the residence halls
- Fulfill administrative requirements such as completing Room Condition Reports, assisting with lockouts, posting cleaning notices, etc.
Employment begins in August, two weeks before school begins, with resident assistant training and extends through the day after commencement in May. In return for your duties, you will be compensated with a room and board credits directly to your student account for fall semester, immersive term and spring semester. Resident assistants also receive a parking permit fee waiver and returning staff members receive a stipend. This compensation information will be shared with the office of financial aid and may influence your financial aid package. The resident assistant position is a part-time student leadership position which is not eligible for any benefits including medical, dental, or retirement.
What does it take to be a resident assistant?
- Possess and maintain a 2.50 or higher cumulative GPA.
- Be in good judicial standing (i.e. not on probation or with an extensive judicial history)
- Have at least two full semesters of residential living experience in a residence hall, campus home, or fraternity house before beginning service in the resident assistant position. First-year and transfer students are eligible to apply if they live on campus for fall semester and spring semester.
- Preferred applicants will have previous leadership experiences or co-curricular involvements.
Since it is such a time commitment, resident assistants cannot exceed an average of 15 hours of work (hourly, stipend, or internships) per week outside of the resident assistant position. Work study and international students with student visas can work all 15 hours with Franklin College. Resident assistants without work study can only work 8 hours on-campus but they can work at an off-campus job for the remaining hours.
Resident Assistant Job Description (PDF)
How do I apply to be a resident assistant?
Applications for the Resident Assistant Position will open on February 1, 2021 and can be found here.
Once you start the application, you will have to complete it all at once. To best assist you with preparing to complete your application, you should have the following prepared:
- Name and email information for 2 references
- Answers for the following questions:
- Please provide an explanation of why you would like to be a Resident Assistant.
- In your own words, what is a residential community and how would you build it as a Resident Assistant?
All Resident Assistant Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 15, 2021.
What happens after I apply for the resident assistant position?
- Upon submitting your application, you will be emailed with a link to sign up for an interview time-slot. Interviews will take place February 16 – 19. You must sign up for an interview time prior to February 14.
Questions about being a resident assistant?
If you have questions about the resident assistant position, please feel free to email residencelife@FranklinCollege.edu, call 317.738.8080, or talk with a member of the office of residence life staff.