Resident Assistant (RA) - Spring 2025

An RA understands that the purpose of Residence Life is to provide each resident with an environment that is safe, promotes academic excellence, fosters spiritual development, and nurtures social growth. The RA job is an amazing opportunity that also comes with the significant responsibility of being a leader among many peers and an example to all students at Lipscomb University. May be Federal Work Study eligible.

Important Dates
Thursday, January 2 - RAs return for the Spring semester (first day of work)
Saturday, May 3 - RAs move out (last day of work)

If you have any questions, please contact Jonathan Williams (jonathan.williams@lipscomb.edu) or Asa Bailey (asa.bailey@lipscomb.edu).

Interpersonal and Community Development:
An RA is expected to invest in the overall growth (academic, spiritual, and social) and welfare of each resident. RAs are responsible for facilitating the development of community among their residents and the hall. RAs are committed to the following:

• being available and accessible to residents, spending adequate time on their hall, and regularly interacting with the hall/floor community.
• assisting residents with personal, spiritual, relational, social, emotional, and academic concerns while ensuring confidentiality, sharing with the Residence Hall Director, and referring residents to appropriate resources. This includes recognizing problems and potential problems.
• knowing ALL residents on my hall by name and face by the second week of school to make each resident feel like an integral part of the community.
• working cooperatively with other team members, including RAs and RHDs from other buildings.
• maintaining a positive working relationship with the RHD, showing respect for him/her as a supervisor and a person.
• being respectful of all Lipscomb University students, faculty, staff, and administration. This includes refraining from participation in gossip concerning residents, RAs, RHDs, and/or other Lipscomb faculty/staff with hall residents, other RAs, or my supervisor and considering the time, place, and manner in which they engage in conversations.
• working collaboratively with fellow teammates and RHD.
• complying with all work related requests in a timely manner.
• ensuring that students understand my role and function as an RA and establishing a rapport, which makes residents feel comfortable approaching me with ideas and concerns.
• making residents aware of their roles and responsibilities in the community, explaining and utilizing the Community Contract. RAs will enforce policies consistently without bias or malice.
• keeping residents informed of campus and hall activities.
• conducting hall/floor meetings at the request of the RHD.
• supporting and attending all dorm-wide programming, and supporting teammates programming.
• upholding and adhering to all university policies (Student Code of Conduct and Residence Life Housing Rules). RAs understand that being a student leader requires them to be mindful of all university guidelines, and they commit to upholding those expectations.
• educating residents about the Student Code of Conduct while serving as a role model and leading by example.
• fulfilling programming requirements as set by the RHD and Director of Residence Life.
• sincerely promoting Lipscomb University in a positive manner.
• continuing the mission of Lipscomb University as a faith-based institution, which seeks to glorify and promote God's kingdom.
• working hard and diligently to make the Residence Life experience a great program for all students and their families.

Lobby Duty, Weekly Meetings, and One-on-One Meetings

• RAs understand that lobby duty responsibilities rotate among staff members. Duty begins at 7 pm and ends at midnight Sunday-Thursday and 8 pm - 1 am Friday and Saturday.
• RAs arrive on-time and will sit at the lobby desk for their entire shift.
• RAs will notify the RHD of time away from campus and will clear all vacation/travel plans ahead of time before making any reservations.
• RAs will attend the weekly meetings on Monday nights as set by my RHD. They will arrive on time and will not let personal things (e.g., relationships, concerts, etc.) interfere with their commitment to their residents, teammates, and RHD. RAs will come to meetings prepared with any materials needed.

Holidays, Breaks, and Closing

• RAs understand that they share responsibility for helping close down the residence halls and opening them during breaks (e.g. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break).
  Administrative Duties
• RAs will maintain all paperwork/forms in a systematic and consistent fashion (e.g., Room Checks, Room Inventory Sheets, Programming Logs, Maintenance Forms, etc.)
• RAs will turn in all reports and logs in a timely manner.
• For freshmen: RAs will do resident checks every night at midnight. Every room will be checked every night, and residents accounted for, and they will log these immediately (either during checks or directly after them).
• For upperclassmen: RAs will conduct resident checks once per week. Every room will be checked and they will log these immediately (either during checks or directly after completing them).

Additional Requirements

• Resident Assistants must:
  
  
  
  • have a minimum 2.75 GPA upon application and must not be on any type of official probation (academic, behavior, Bible, or chapel).
  • have lived on campus, at Lipscomb University, for at least one semester.
  • be able to devote up to 15 hours per week to the Resident Assistant job.
  • have at least two free nights Monday - Friday (no classes, no club meetings, no practices, etc.).
  • be available and on campus most weekends (RHDs will work with RA staff for weekends off).