Resident assistants often function as counselors, meeting with residents about roommate conflicts and interpersonal relationships, as well as personal issues and academic concerns. Resident assistants might refer students to other offices or personnel for additional counseling.
Resident assistants are expected to enforce university and dorm policies. They might have to confront students about inappropriate behavior. They also might have to involve other university personnel if there are severe problems or violations. Resident assistant are responsible for explaining policies and for monitoring students who have violated rules or policies in the past.
Resident assistants are responsible for administrative duties related to their positions. They have to keep reports and records, monitor supplies and inform other departments about building or maintenance needs, and keep incident or safety reports. They also have to plan and hold meetings, make schedules, attend resident life meetings, meet with mentors or resident life employees, and attend university events. They might be responsible for training new RAs or serving as mentors to beginning resident assistants. They also might administer room keys or mailbox combinations, assist students with check-in or checkout processes, close resident halls during vacation periods and assist with dorm closings at the end of the academic year. RAs might be responsible for distributing supplies, providing needed items including first aid supplies or toiletries, and distributing fliers or other important paperwork.
RAs are responsible for assisting students and helping in crisis situations. When serious infractions occur, they might need to notify campus police or the proper authorities. RAs are responsible for keeping residents safe, which means helping students get to safe quarters in cases of fire, inclement weather or other unsafe situations. According to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's Resident Assistant job description guidelines, RAs must follow crisis protocols and avoid escalating crisis situations.
RAs are responsible for communicating important university events, policies and procedures to students. They might maintain building bulletin boards, send emails to students regarding important building information and communicate problems, concerns or issues important to the university and its students.
Resident assistants are responsible for supervising students, which means that they must check areas of the building, monitor security cameras when necessary, monitor students entering and leaving a building, and enforce curfew policies. RAs assist students with check-in or checkout procedures and monitor checkout logs.