Download this Application Overview
2020-21 RA Application Overview
Welcome to the Resident Assistant Selection Process
By completing an application, you are expressing interest in one of the most important student leadership positions available at IUPUI. Resident Assistants are community leaders, peer educators, friends, advocates, and team players. You get an opportunity to serve others, to develop your skills, to gain valuable university contacts, to work with some of the most talented students at IUPUI, to learn about yourself and others, and to be a part of a supportive team working together to make your community a great place to live. As one staff member said, “You go from feeling like you’re just at the university, to being a part of the university.”
If hired and placed in a position, you will play a critical role in shaping a community where residents thrive. Being a member of the Housing and Residence Life team can be one of the toughest jobs you will ever experience. The demands of this position can be hard, but the benefits are extremely rewarding.
In this packet, you will find all the information that you will need to complete an application, along with answers to many of the questions you may have. In order to submit your online application, you’ll need to prepare your resume and identify a plan to attend an information session. You can find online application at: go.iupui.edu/housingjobs
To apply, candidates must:
- Be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at the sophomore, junior, or senior level during the 2020-2021 employment period.
- Hold a cumulative 2.75 GPA (based on IU hours) at the time of application and maintain a 2.75 semester/cumulative GPA through the application and employment period. GPA from transfer credits will not be considered.
- Complete at least one semester (fall or spring) as an enrolled student at IUPUI before starting the position.
- Be in good academic, disciplinary, and employment standing with the university.
- Be able to successfully complete a background check conducted by IU Human Resources.
- Have the ability to return to campus prior to the start of the academic year to participate in RA training.
Contract Period:
Residence Life positions are contracted for one full academic year (consecutive fall and spring semesters). The contract period includes all pre-service and in-service training. All staff are required to be in-residence and to participate fully in all training and operational activities which commence prior to the opening of the residence halls. The staff is expected to stay through the last day of finals in the fall and through Commencement in the spring.
2020-2021 Timeline and Info Sessions
Mandatory Attendance is required at one resident assistant info session for all applicants:
| Date | Time | Location | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, November 6 | 7:00 pm | North Hall Classroom 1107 | 820 W. North St. |
| Sunday, November 10 | 7:00 pm | Walker Conference Room, Riverwalk Apts. | 1341 W. Vermont St. Suite 170 |
| Tuesday, November 12 | 7:00 pm | Dean's Room, University Tower | 911 W. North St., Second Floor |
| Wednesday, November 13 | 3:00 pm | Campus Center 309 | 420 University Blvd |
| Monday, November 18 | 7:00 pm | The Tyler | 1201 Indiana Ave. |
| Tuesday, November 19 | 3:00 pm | UC 101 (Multicultural Center) | 815 W. Michigan St. |
| Sunday, November 24 | 7:00 pm | North Hall Classroom 1105 | 820 W. North St. |
| Tuesday, November 26 | 7:00 pm | Walker Conference Room, Riverwalk Apts. | 1341 W. Vermont St., Suite 170 |
| Monday, December 2 | 7:00 pm | Dean's Room, University Tower | 911 W. North St. |
| Tuesday, December 3 | 12:30 pm | UC 101 (MultiCultural Center) | 815 W. Michigan St. |
| Thursday, December 5 | 7:00pm | Walker Conference Room, Riverwalk Apts. | 1341 W. Vermont St., Suite170 |
| Thursday, December 12 | 7:00 pm | The Tyler | 1201 Indiana Ave. |
| Monday, December 16 | 7:00 pm | North Hall Classroom 1107 | 820 W. North St. |
Friday, December 20, 2019: All applications must be turned via online application. Candidates should receive an email to their IU email account verifying.
Friday, January 17, 2020: Candidates are notified via e-mail if they have been selected to participate in the group interview processes.
Saturday, January 25, 2020: Group interview process, 9:00am-4:00pm, Campus Center. Candidates will be prompted to sign up for an individual interview slot.
Thursday and Friday, January 30th & 31st, 2020: Individual interviews
- Candidates will receive timeslot confirmation and instructions via email following group process.
Friday, March 6, 2020: Final offer letters will be sent to candidates on or before this date.
Friday, March 13, 2020: Deadline for candidates to accept or decline an offered RA position.
Resident Assistant Position Overview
Resident Assistants (RAs) provide leadership in a residential community on the IUPUI campus. The RA is responsible for building community among residents, supporting diversity and inclusion, enforcing policies, providing after hour services and maintaining an atmosphere conducive for academic and personal success. Each RA reports to a Residence Coordinator who provides guidance and feedback in meeting job expectations and support for developing your skills and abilities that will lead to future professional and personal success.
| RA Role | Skills You Build | What You Do |
|---|---|---|
| Community Developer | Relationship Building
Community Building
Skills for Interacting with Difference | Get to know residents, build rapport with them, and connect residents with each other to build community.
Maintain an environment that supports academic and personal success, including role modeling positive behaviors.
Be available and accessible to residents during community hours.
Create a safe and welcoming environment for all residents.
Know the various resources on campus and help students locate the appropriate service when needed.
Support Hall Council and Residence Hall Association events, initatives, and outreach. |
| Peer Educator | Helping Skills
Critical Thinking
Designing and Executing Plans | Work with supervisor to assess community needs and develop appropriate initiatives.
Plan and implement events for residents that align with residence life educational outcomes.
Engage in conversations with residents that align with residence life educational outcomes.
Participate in campus wide and departmental events such as Weeks of Welcome and Tunnel of Oppression.
If in a RBLC (Residential Based Learning Community), meet regularly with liaison. |
| Community Manager | Conflict Mediation
Problem Solving
Crisis Response | Serve in an on-call rotation for the community.
Follow protocols to respond to crisis or emergency situations.
Consistently address policy violations.
Follow protocols to report situations related to student safety and/or building safety to supervisor.
Write thorough and professional reports of incidents.
Provide on-call coverage as needed during break periods. |
| Administrator | Time Management
Resiliency
Prioritizing | Recognize the position as a primary out-of-class obligation, including being available on evenings and weekends.
Attend weekly staff meetings, meetings with supervisor, and fully participate in all training sessions.
Staff community desk during open hours.
Complete administrative functions, such as submitting maintenance requests, completing timesheets, preparing weekly reports, and documenting/recording interactions with residents.
Serve as a liaison between residents and HRL staff or campus administrators.
Positively represent Housing and Residence Life at all times. |
*Here is an overview of many of the responsibilities an RA is expected to manage as part of their role. To review the full Terms of Employment from 2019-2020, please email Zach Cramer: zacramer@iu.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
As a student staff member, you're generally expected to spend at least 15-20 hours per week on your floor or in your building, but that is only a guideline. Your floor or building is your home, and you and your fellow staff members are responsible for developing the community environment in that home. Sometimes that means spending a lot of time in your community planning and implementing initiatives, which means at times you will need to plan ahead to balance academic and personal time.
In addition to individual supervisor meetings and training in August and January, RAs have staff meetings every Tuesday night from 9:00pm-11:00pm. RAs are also on-call (or on duty) at least once a week where they must be in their community, conduct rounds, and be available for residents.
We anticipate hiring 69 RAs for the 2020-2021 year. This includes both new and returning RAs. It is unknown until late January how many of the current staff members will be applying to return to staff for the following year.
We expect that being a student staff member will be your top priority after your academic work. Outside obligations that require you to track your hours, via the university time system (Kuali) or on paper, will be approved on a case-by-case basis. This may include, but is not limited to, on-campus jobs, internships, leadership positions, work-study positions, and some scholarship based employment. Co-curricular activities or leadership positions that do not require you to track your hours for pay are acceptable as long as they do not impede your ability to complete the RA job expectations.
RA training begins approximately three weeks before move-in, which will occur on August 21 & 22, 2020. The exact date for return for the fall 2020 semester is still being determined; however, an exact date will be known by the time positions are offered. RAs are also expected to stay in the halls later into the end of each semester and after Commencement in May until the halls officially close.
Our goal is to hire the most qualified candidates to be Resident Assistants. We use the Preference Sheet as a guide for individual interviews and to make the best community match as possible. Ultimately, the more flexible you are, the more chances you will have to be placed. However, we ask that you are honest in your community preferences and only select communities in which you will accept an RA role.
Compensation includes a room/apartment and a monthly stipend. If you are placed in Ball Hall, North Hall, or University Tower, you have the option of selecting a meal plan with a reduced stipend.
Every student’s financial aid situation is different. If you have questions about your financial aid, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services.
There is currently a two-year term limit for the RA position. A term is identified as one academic year, so a two-year term limit means that you are eligible to be a RA for two academic years.
If you have any additional questions regarding the selection process, please contact: Zachery Cramer: zacramer@iu.edu
Residential Based Learning Communities & the Resident Assistant
Residential Based Learning Communities (RBLCs) are floors, areas, or buildings where students request to live near others that share an interest in a particular social cause or academic area. They give students the opportunity to enjoy the usual advantages of living in campus housing while providing added benefits of living amongst a group of students that have similar goals and interests. RBLCs offer regular events and programming that help build a strong connection with the IUPUI campus, and also bring together faculty, staff, and students around their shared focus.
The Resident Assistan Role:
For each of the RBLCs, Housing and Residence Life looks to hire RAs who have a vested interest in the theme for the RBLC. RAs within an RBLC work collaboratively with not only housing staff, but also the liaisons from other campus entities that work with their RBLC. RAs will work with their supervisor and liaisons to provide programming and initiatives related to the RBLC theme. You do not have to have lived in an RBLC to express interest in serving as an RA for one of these communities, you just have to be excited and passionate about aligning the theme with the living experience.
Community Descriptions:
DEAP:
The DEAP (Diversity Enrichment and Achievement Program) community is a racially diverse RBLC located in North Hall that is open to all students. Its purpose is to provide an environment that fosters student success through personal, academic, and social support to its residents. The community allows students to easily connect with other diverse students, network with faculty/staff, and participate in academic and social programming designed to contribute to their holistic development at IUPUI.
Health Careers Community:
The Health Career Community (HCC) is for students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in health and life science majors. The HCC also welcomes non-science majors interested in pursuing professional health-related degrees after earning a bachelor’s degree.
Health and Human Science Community:
The School of Health and Human Sciences community welcomes new incoming freshmen students majoring in exercise science, fitness management, health sciences, physical education, and tourism, event, and sport management. Students residing on the HHSC residential floor will have the opportunity to get involved in special academic and social programs.
Herron House:
Herron House, located in the Riverwalk Apartments, provides a supportive, creative residential environment for students who attend Herron School of Art and Design. Herron House fosters academic, personal, and creative excellence by establishing strong ties to the Herron School, IUPUI, and the Indianapolis artistic community.
International House:
International House (I-House), located in the Riverwalk Apartments, is home to international and U.S. students who choose to live cross-culturally in a learning community. Typically 15-20 countries are represented each year. I-House residents organize programs on global issues for the campus and community, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and dialogue about international events and cross-cultural learning opportunities.
Honors:
Honors Residential Communities are the residential living environments for IUPUI Honors College scholars who choose to live in on-campus housing. Honors has two communities, a first-year scholars community in University Tower and a community for upperclass students in the Riverwalk Apartments.
Kelley House:
The Kelley House is for first year students majoring in business. Students living in this area will have a chance to get involved in academic, social, and cultural programs through interactions with faculty and staff organized by the resident assistant and the Kelley School of Business Academic Programs Office.
Liberal Arts Community:
A high-impact, interdisciplinary program, the community is designed for students who have a passion to change the world. Students in the Liberal Arts community in North Hall will explore a diverse range of activities and engage in opportunities designed around civic engagement.
Purdue House:
Purdue House is a predominantly upperclass community within the Riverwalk Apartments. Sophomore through graduate engineering, technology, and science students are housed together, providing excellent opportunities for a wide array of interaction and peer mentoring.
LGBTQmmunity:
LGBTQmmunity is a gender-inclusive residential living and learning community that is open to any student who has respect for, and an understanding of, all gender identities and sexualities. The community's purpose is to provide a safe space for our LGBTQ+ student community at IUPUI.
SOIC:
The SoIC Community, supported by the School of Informatics & Computing, is reserved for students majoring in one of the schools’ majors, including Media Arts and Science, Informatics, and Health Information Management. The community provides residents with the opportunity to develop relationships with peers who have the same interests and major, while building academic and creative excellence through unique opportunities.
STEM:
The STEM Community is located in North Hall for freshmen pursuing degrees in the Schools of Engineering & Technology and Science. This community promotes scholarship and camaraderie among first year science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. The community provides a student success STEM course specifically designed for residents focusing on academic success, career investigation, identifying healthy behaviors, as well as leadership skills and more.
WISH:
The Women in Science House (WISH) is for female science students of various class years and majors. Residents of WISH will live in an environment that fosters academic development through the exploration of the field of science and provides a nurturing atmosphere for personal growth.