Student Worker - Resident Assistant

Make a difference at one of Florida’s premier institutions for education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Florida Polytechnic University, ranked the No. 1 public college in the region by U.S. News and World Report, offers a unique working environment that encourages faculty and staff to be part of a culture that prizes collaboration, innovation, and the willingness to go above and beyond to ensure our students and University succeed. Florida Poly offers a small campus academic environment where students form connections with their faculty and peers as they pursue high-value degrees in engineering and applied sciences.

The University is equipped with cutting-edge facilities and equipment and two award-winning, architecturally distinct academic buildings. Its evolving curriculum, designed to meet the needs of industry and provide a life-long educational foundation for students, has helped the institution grow in prominence since its opening in 2014. Florida Poly’s deliberately small classes, affordability, and outstanding graduate outcomes have helped it earn recognitions such as being named a top value school, in the top 25 nationally for affordability, and in the top five best universities in the South for tech students. Accredited by ABET and SACSCOC, Florida Poly is educating some of the brightest minds in Florida and attracting standout talent from across the nation.

  

JOB TITLE

  

Student Worker - Resident Assistant

   

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

  

The Resident Assistant (RA) is a part-time (average of 20 hours/week), student staff member of the Office of Housing and Residential Life at Florida Polytechnic University. The RA is selected and trained to be a vital resource to residential students, and to be sensitive to the academic, emotional, and social challenges facing college students, particularly those involved with the normal adjustments to residence hall living. The RA plays an important role in assisting residents with a seamless transition into the University community and works to provide opportunities for residents to get involved while living on-campus. The RA lives in a designated residence hall room and works with approximately 40-60 residents (number of residents varies on residence hall occupancy per semester). The RA position contains structured time such as office hours and on-call responsibilities but is a very flexible time commitment based on the RA’s class schedule and community needs, with many RA responsibilities occurring during the evening and weekends.

    

JOB DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Community Development

• Identify both individual and community needs.
• Promote resident self-responsibility and respect for individual rights.
• Coordinate engaging and educational programming, activities, and events for the community.
• Use creative methods to make programming, activities, and events appealing and relevant to residents. Develop learning outcomes to help facilitate an educational strategy (Intentional Interactions, Educational and Community Builder programs, Community-Wide events, University-Wide events, campus partner programs, floor programs, etc.) to meet the needs of each individual resident and/or community.
• Complete assessment (planning and post-program/event forms) to ensure learning outcomes and community needs are met.
• Hold semesterly floor meetings as instructed by the Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee.

Resource for Students

• Trained to be sensitive to the academic, emotional, and social challenges facing college students, particularly those involved with the normal adjustments to residence hall living.
• Disseminate information to students regarding on and off campus resources to assist residents’ academic, emotional, and social needs.
• Resolve roommate conflicts, when necessary, in collaboration with the Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee.

Academic and Student Success

• Model positive academic behaviors and keep academics as a priority.
• Create a floor/residential community conducive to academic success and studying (i.e., enforce quiet/courtesy hours, provide residents academic resource, etc.).
• Engage in academic success interventions and intentional one-on-one conversations (i.e., Intentional Interactions) with residents consistent with office requirements and learning outcomes.
• Understand and know University academic support services/resources and refer residents when necessary.
• Identify and offer assistance to residents with academic needs.
• Provide opportunities for residents to interact with faculty members.
• Collaborate with and encourage the use of the Academic Success Center (ASC) and their programs.

Build Relationships with Each Resident

• Learn each residents’ names and greet them by name to create belonging.
• Engage with residents on a regular basis.
• Invite residents to be involved in floor and community programs, activities, and events.
• Be visible and accessible to all residents and members of the residential community.
• Refer residents to other resources (i.e., University faculty and staff, counseling and CARE Services, campus partners, on or off campus programs, and other offices/departments).

Crisis Intervention and Response

• Serve on-call during evening and weekend hours, and some holidays and University closures, to ensure safety and security of all residents.
• Understand that RAs are mandatory reporters of student incidents and emergency situations for the University.
• Assist residents with conflicts, participate in mediations and encourage conflict resolution.
• Identify and respond appropriately to student concerns dealing with situations, such as violence, bias, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, domestic disputes, etc., and work with the Residential Life Coordinator (RLC) and/or Residential Life designee to resolve them.
• Understand and know all office crisis protocols, guidelines, and procedures.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality while assisting Residential Life and University staff in all situations, especially during a crisis or emergency.
• Foster a sense of care and compassion when responding to students in crisis and follow up with residents regarding crisis situations.
• Know appropriate resources and refer students during and after crisis situations.
• Immediately report dangerous or life-threatening student behaviors to the University Police Department and Residential Life Coordinator (RLC) and/ or Housing and Residential Life designee for appropriate and timely intervention.

Enforce Policies and Standards

• Uphold and enforce Housing and Residential Life community standards and University policies and have the authority to confront residents, and their guests, in violation of these policies.
• Report any and all policy and community standard violations through appropriate reporting system.
• Inform students about University Student Code of Conduct, Housing and Residential Life Handbook, and overall student behavior expectations.

Facilities, Operations, and Administration

• Complete all paperwork and forms as assigned and required by the Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee in a timely and thorough fashion.
• Staff the Housing and Residential Life front desk to ensure a positive and welcoming customer service-oriented environment to all residents and operate mail/package services for the office.
• Report maintenance concerns or assist residents in how to report their concerns appropriately.
• Submit well-written, timely duty logs and incidents reports as described and instructed by the Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee.

Work with the Team

• Participate in community or office initiatives such as staff recruitment and selection, staff training, partnership programs and events, and office or community specific committees/teams/collateral assignments as directed by the Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee
• Operate as one member within a larger staff and team.
• Work closely with other staff teams when needed and as directed by the Residential Life and Student Experience Coordinator (RLC) and/or Residential Life designee.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform and follow through with any other appropriate task and/or duty as asked of you by any Housing and Residential Life professional staff.
• Attend all U Lead workshops and trainings as scheduled.
• Attend and be trained to be a Hearing Panel Member with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and serve on formal hearings as necessary.
• Assist the Office of Admissions by educating/informing perspective residential students about the on-campus living experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Actively participate in and attend all mandatory fall and spring training programs and sessions with the Office of Housing and Residential Life and the Florida Poly U Lead program. All training dates will be provided to applicants during the Florida Poly U Lead selection and interview process. Please note, all training dates are subject to change.
• Actively participate in and attend all Office of Housing and Residential Life mandatory staff meetings and trainings. Please note, all staff meetings and training dates are subject to change.
• Report regularly to your supervisors –, Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life staff.
• Serve periodically as designated “on-call” staff member during afterhours and weekends. Must be able to serve, including but not limited to, during holidays, when classes are not in session (Thanksgiving break, winter break, and spring break), weekends, and University recognized closures and events. In addition, resident Assistants may be asked to be on call during special events held by Florida Poly.
• Participate in systematic evaluation of job performance.
• Be on campus when the residence halls are open unless prior approval from the Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee has been given for an extended absence (i.e., weekend leaves, vacations, planned trips, etc.). Resident Assistants can expect to stay longer and return earlier from school breaks to prepare to (re)open the residence halls each semester.
• Resident Assistants are expected to give priority to their job responsibilities over extra-curricular activities and other employment. Prior approval must be obtained from a Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee for extracurricular activities, on and/or off campus employment, and academic research opportunities and/or internships.
• Additional employment is prohibited unless prior approval is received from your Residential Life Coordinator and/or Housing and Residential Life designee.
• Per University policy FPU-3.0101P, all students with on-campus housing leases, including Resident Assistants, are required to purchase a Residential Meal Plan during each fall and spring semester in which the student resides on campus.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be currently enrolled as a full-time student at the Florida Polytechnic University.
• Must have completed a minimum of one year living on campus prior to staring the position. For transfer students, must have completed a minimum of one semester living on campus prior to starting the position.
• Must have attended Florida Polytechnic University for at least one academic year prior to starting the position. For transfer students, must have attended Florida Polytechnic University for a least one academic semester prior to starting the position.
• Must be in and remain in good academic standing per University Human Resource student employment requirements
• Must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a 2.25 semester GPA or greater per the Office of Residential Life student employment and University Human Resource policies.
• Must be on campus during the entire academic year (fall and spring semesters).
• Must be in and remain in good standing with the Office Student Rights and Responsibilities.
• Must actively participate in and attend all fall/winter/spring training programs, all training session, all staff meetings, and all in-service meetings with the Office of Residential Life and the Florida Poly U Lead program.
• Must have a passion for working with the student population and relate well to a wide variety of individuals and groups.
• Must possess strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, time management skills, communicate effectively, have a positive attitude, and provide superior customer service.
• Must have and showcase pride in Florida Poly and be an active member in the Phoenix community.
• Successfully complete a background check per University Human Resource student employment requirements.

REMUNERATION:

• Resident Assistants receive a one-bedroom/one-bathroom residence hall unit or studio-style residence hall unit each semester when serving in the position. All basic residence hall furniture is provided (i.e., mattress, bed frame, desk, desk chair, dresser, etc.).

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING ATTACHMENTS:

 

Required attachments are listed on each posting.   Please be sure to attach all required documents in the Resume/CV field before continuing through the application. Once your application has been submitted, no changes may be made and additional attachments will not be considered. 

 

An unofficial copy of the degree/transcript is acceptable during the application process. For positions requiring a degree, the official transcripts are required upon hire. 

 

Foreign Transcript: Transcripts issued outside of the United States require a equivalency statement from a certified transcript evaluation service verifying the degree equivalency to that of an accredited institution within the USA. This report must be attached with the application and submitted by the application deadline.

 

All document(s) must be received on or before the closing date of the job announcements.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

Florida Polytechnic University is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all (including applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the University) without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or genetic information.

  

This position requires a background check, which may include a level II screening as required by the Florida Statute §435.04.