RESIDENT ASSISTANT POSITION SUMMARY

As a Resident Assistant (RA), you serve as a student leader in the residence halls and are a key resource for your community. You will build relationships with residents, support their transition to MSOE, and foster a safe, welcoming, and connected environment. You will be part of the on-call rotation, helping to ensure resident well-being, maintain community standards, and provide access to resources. The position requires early arrivals in the fall and spring for training, weekly staff meetings, monthly in-services, and bi-weekly 1:1 meetings with your Community Director.

Essential Duties

·         Community Engagement & Support: Build a welcoming community through regular engagement, monthly floor meetings, and regular touchpoints per semester. Assist with academic and social transition, provide empathetic support, and connect them with resources.

·         Communication & Events: Communicate promptly and professionally with residents, families (as appropriate), and campus partners. Share and post information about Campus Life and student-sponsored events.

·         Conflict & Facilitation: Help roommates and residents resolve conflicts constructively, referring to professional staff when needed. Ensure the Roommate Agreement is complete.

·         Duty & Response: Fulfill assigned duty rotations, including rounds, responding to incidents, carrying the duty phone, and remaining available while on call.

·         Accountability & Documentation: When policy violations occur, engage residents in educational conversations to clarify expectations. Serve as a neutral reporting party by submitting incident, maintenance, and community reports within 24 hours. All corrective action is managed by Residence Life professional staff and the Dean of Students Office.

·         Desk & Administrative Operations: Support desk operations (6 hrs/wk) as a welcoming first point of contact, connect individuals to resources, and maintain a safe environment. Complete room condition reports, manage keys, and assist with opening, closing, and building operations.

·         Role Modeling & Professionalism: Serve as a role model by maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, and appropriate conduct. Personal expression, including online, is respected so long as it does not conflict with university policies or RA responsibilities.

 

Transferable Skills

Through this role, RAs gain skills that align with the MSOE Mindset and career readiness expectations:

·         Communication and Interpersonal Skills

·         Conflict Resolution and Mediation

·         Leadership and Teamwork

·         Professionalism and Ethics

·         Community Development

 

Qualifications

·         Current enrollment in an MSOE degree program.

·         Good academic and conduct standing; cumulative and term GPA of 2.5 or higher.

·         Two semesters or more living in on-campus housing.

·         Ability to pass a background check.

·         Ability to commit to the full academic year.

Outside Commitments

Because the RA position is a primary leadership responsibility, students are expected to be mindful of significant commitments such as outside employment, varsity athletics, leadership roles, and their academic course load and personal commitments. These commitments should be discussed with Residence Life professional staff to ensure they do not conflict with RA responsibilities. Students should also carefully consider their academic commitments for the upcoming year to ensure they have adequate time to be academically successful while supporting their community. The RA role must remain the student’s top co-curricular priority.

 

Training, Development, and Evaluation

·         RAs are required to return early for fall and spring training, attend weekly staff meetings, monthly all RA meeting, and bi-weekly supervisory meetings.

·         Ongoing staff development supports growth in crisis response, community building, and leadership skills.

·         Performance is evaluated throughout the semester during 1:1 and other meetings with professional staff (engagement, desk and duty coverage, reporting, and policy compliance).

·         Reappointment is determined by Residence Life professional staff and is not guaranteed.

Compensation

RAs receive a total annual compensation package valued at $12,500. This includes a $5,500 each semester applied to their student account, plus a $750 stipend each semester. Residence Life also provides meals for RAs during times when the meal plan is not active, but they are working. Compensation may affect financial aid; candidates are encouraged to meet with the Financial Aid office to discuss potential impacts. Appointments run from mid-August through spring closing.

Building Placement and Housing Assignments

Resident Assistant housing varies by building assignment. Placement is based on availability and where the Residence Life professional staff believes you will fit best.

RAs in Viets Tower, MLH, and Mellowes Hall receive a single room billed at the double-room rate when space permits. In Grohmann Tower, each floor has two RAs who share a one-bedroom apartment; the fourth floor has a single RA due to its smaller size. Juneau Village Towers (JVT) RAs share an apartment with a roommate and do not have a front desk assignment; instead, they serve additional duty nights to support their community.

Contacts

If you are interested in learning more about becoming an RA, we encourage you to attend an information session or contact a Community Director to discuss the opportunity.

·         Anna Schueth | schueth@msoe.edu | Viets Tower: G111

·         Jason Kauffin | kauffin@msoe.edu | MLH: G101

·         Joshua Mitchell | mitchelljj@msoe.edu | Grohmann Tower: 103