Frequently Asked Questions
- I know that by being a Resident Assistant, I will receive a free room, $850 per semester for food, and a 10% discount at the University bookstore. How will that affect my financial aid?
- Can I hold another position on/off-campus if I am a Resident Assistant?
- When is Resident Assistant training?
- If I have a conflict, can I miss training or be late for it?
- Will my profile in an online community (Facebook, Myspace, MiGente, etc.) affect whether or not I will be hired?
- If I have been documented for an incident, can I still be a Resident Assistant?
- Can I choose the building I want to be a Resident Assistant in?
- I've never lived in a residence hall. Can I still apply?
- Can someone other than a current Resident Assistant write a reference for me?
- What if I don't have the required GPA?
- Do I have to stay until the residence hall is closed or return before the residence halls open?
- What is the process to be a Resident Assistant in La Aldea, the 12-month graduate housing hall?
- As a Resident Assistant, will I have a roommate and if so, for how long?
- Do I already need to know how to confront people or deal with emergencies?
- Should I go through the 10-11 return housing application process if I’m applying to be a Resident Assistant?
- What should I wear to the interview?
- What does the interview process entail?
- If I will not be available during the stated interview times (February 1-11), should I apply?
- What are the mission and vision statements of Residence Life?
- Who should I contact if I have further questions?
The Resident Assistant position can affect your financial aid or scholarship award. However, to determine how that will affect your situation specifically, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at (520) 621-5578.
Resident Assistants who desire to hold another position must have prior approval from their Community Director. Under no circumstance are Resident Assistants permitted to hold positions that require more than 20 hours of work per week This includes a combination of jobs, internships, leadership opportunities etc.
For the 2010 – 2011 school year, Resident Assistant training begins Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 12 PM and continues until classes begin on August 23, 2010.
No. Attending Resident Assistant training in its entirety and fully participating in opening the halls is required to hold the position. Training lasts approximately two weeks and covers a breadth of information ranging from programming and confrontation, to community building and social justice. The time invested is critical to prepare Resident Assistants on how to serve as resources for their residents.
No, but remember the impression your online personality creates can follow you anywhere.
Students must be in good conduct standing with the Dean of Students Office and Residence Life. Good conduct standing means: you are not currently on deferred eviction status or evicted from Residence Life or currently suspended, expelled, or on interim suspension from the University. In addition, you must not have any incomplete sanctions with the Dean of Students office.
When you apply, you are applying for the position not for a specific residence hall. Hall placement is determined by the Community Directors and is based on the needs of the building, as well as the applicant’s skill set.
Yes. We require that each applicant have completed at least one semester as a full time student at The University of Arizona.
Students who currently live in a residence hall must have at least one reference from a current Resident Assistant. Students who do not currently live in a residence hall have the option of asking someone other than a current Resident Assistant to write a reference for them. Preferably, that person should be a former employer or professional reference, but in certain circumstances college professors, teachers, advisors, coaches, or religious leaders can be asked, as long as that person can speak to your ability to work as a team player. Parents, friends or other relatives cannot be used as references.
At the time applications are due (January 15, 2010), Resident Assistant applicants must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA, and 2.0 semester GPA. Students who do not meet these criteria will be cut from the process automatically. All Resident Assistants must be full-time students and progressing toward graduation.
As stated in our sample Resident Assistant Agreement, staff members are required to return before the halls open and stay until the halls close. Details of dates and times, which are specific to each school year, are listed on that year’s current Resident Assistant Agreement. It is necessary for some Resident Assistants to be on duty for Thanksgiving break and Spring break.
La Aldea has seven Community Resident Assistants (CRAs), who work 12 months of the year with primarily graduate students. The selection process to be a CRA in La Aldea is completely separate from the RA selection process. If you are interested in applying for a CRA position, please look for postings or contact the La Aldea office:
825 E. Fifth Street
Tucson, Arizona 85719
E-mail: laaldea@life.arizona.edu
Phone: (520) 626-0336
Fax: (520) 626-0337
As the University attempts to provide residence hall housing for as many students as possible, Resident Assistants are provided single occupancy of a double room only after all other students have been accommodated. Half of the Resident Assistant's double room may be used to house students on a temporary basis.
Prior experience is not a requirement to be a Resident Assistant. All staff members receive training before the academic year on many situations that might arise.
Each candidate should plan for fall housing without considering the Resident Assistant position in their plans. If you would like to live on campus next year, even if not selected for an RA position, please go through the 10-11 return housing application process. If you are offered and accept an RA position, any payments you made in conjunction with your fall housing application (e.g., Application Fee and/or Confirmation Rent Payment) will be refunded to you. If you plan to live on campus only if you're a Resident Assistant, it is not necessary to complete the 10-11 return housing application process. If you are not selected for an RA position and you did not go through and complete the return housing application process, you will be ineligible to return to campus housing next year. Resident Assistant selection will be completed by Spring Break, giving many candidates time to plan for fall housing accordingly.
Your interview is an opportunity to show your potential employer who you are as a candidate. Wear something that will allow you to be comfortable and give you confidence as you demonstrate your skills to the interviewers.
The interview process will be two hours long. It will consist of a group process and an individual interview. The group process is set up to get you engaged with other candidates and will last approximately one hour. The individual interview will be approximately 30 minutes and will give you an opportunity to share the experiences you could bring to the RA position and Residence Life. The group process is observed by two Community Directors and two RAs; the individual interview is facilitated by a Community Director and a current RA.
If you will not be available to interview during the defined interview time frame, you will not be considered for a position and therefore should not apply. Given the size of the process, we do not have the ability to make accommodations for individuals who will not be able to attend an interview.
Residence Life Mission: We cultivate safe and educational residential communities to spark student success
Residence Life Vision: We envision a world-class residential experience where all students invest in learning, contribute to community, and achieve personal success.
You can speak with your current Resident Assistant or Community Director or email raselection@life.arizona.edu.