Commonly Asked Questions

RA Success
Interview with M. Lee Upcraft

Q. First year college students face a wide variety of challenges, opportunities and changes. As Resident Assistants, we are able to participate in this exciting stage of these residents' lives. What advice would you give RAs as we seek to enable these students to "survive and succeed?"

First of all, what are a few things that RAs should realize about the transition process that first year college students are going through?

A. The research is very clear and consistent: traditional students are most worried about (1) succeeding academically and (2) finding friends; a peer network that provides support. Historically, RAs have focused on this second issue: helping new residents with social relationships, roommate relationships, getting them involved in campus activities, educating them on important social issues such as sexuality, alcohol/drugs, diversity, etc., building a floor environment that is orderly and supportive, conflict management, and other social/interpersonal issues.

RAs have historically been much less involved in helping students succeed academically. That issue is seen by many RAs as a faculty role, or the role of academic assistance professionals (academic advisers, tutors, etc.) to whom students may be referred. If the integration of students' in class and out of class experiences contribute positively to their academic success (and there is abundant evidence to support this notion), then RAs need to get more directly involved in providing support and services/program that enhance residents' academic success.

Q. Secondly, with this understanding in mind, what are some ways that RAs can help these students in their academic and personal development?

A.  I think our current efforts to promote personal development, as stated above, work well. What is needed is an all-out effort to make residence halls conducive to students' academic success. It starts with helping residents create an orderly and quiet place to study.  It continues with educational programs specifically targeted to students' academic skills, such as test taking, time management, how to read critically, and other study skills. It means RAs should know much more about the academic progress of first year students, either from interpersonal contact, or though access to mid-semester grades or early warning systems. It means more involvement of faculty in residence halls, and more living learning options, such as interest houses, learning communities, freshman interest groups, course clustering by residential assignment, etc.

Q. Any other thoughts, comments or suggestions for resident assistants?

A. I believe we have overloaded the RA job with all kinds of expectations that are not very realistic, given that most RAs are undergraduates studying full time. We should have RAs concentrate on building floor involvement and helping individual students succeed. We should not expect them to be diversity experts, career development experts, alcohol/other drug experts, sexuality experts, etc. Those issues are best handled by involvement of or referral to professionals inside or outside the academic community. The RA role should be student relationship based, and we should stop demanding that they be all purpose experts on every new developmental issues that comes down the road. Stick to the basics: the relationship of the RA to his or her students, and the development of a positive floor climate.  I also believe that RAs should be aware that their jobs may be transformed by technology. What happens to floor interaction when there are computers in every room? Can technology (email, the WEB, virtual floor meetings, floor chat rooms, etc.) be used to enhance personal development, floor communication, and sense of community? 

Lee Upcraft, Assistant Vice-President Emeritus for Student Affairs, Affiliate Professor Emeritus of Higher Education, and Research Associate, Center for the Study of Higher Education, Penn State University

Mr. Upcraft of Penn State University has authored several books in the area of student affairs.  Here he has answered some questions about success as an RA.

What is one key to success as an RA?
Q. If you could identify one key to being a successful RA, what would it be?

A. Care about your job, and enjoy it.
UC Davis

A. Give 110%, you will get it back threefold!
Jennifer Anderson - Southern Methodist University

A. Set your floor rules right away and be consistent. It's a lot easier to ease off rules you've started than to make them more strict as time goeson. Also show the utmost respect for  your residents right away. This is something you can use later on in confrontations: "I have always shown you complete respect and all I ask is to be respected in return."
Leigh Ann Lorusso - University of Wisconsin at Whitewater

A.  Is establishing a good rapport with your residents right away. That doesn't mean letting them know that you're really cool and you're never going to write them up. Rather, it is clearly stating your position and letting them know the real reason you are there: to help keep them safe, and to make their experience at college better and easier. My residents still tease me and call me their "resource". I guess I used that word a lot  in our first few days, but believe me, they have taken me up on it! Which  brings up another important point, always do what you say. If you say you're going to do a lot of fun programs, do them! If you say you will follow the university's policies to the absolute letter (which I'm sure EVERYONE does),  do it! If you say you're going to be a resource...be ready to be one.  Respect for what you are doing is key, and the only way you are going to get that, is to earn it.
Sara Schaeffner - University of Vermont

A.  Is Realizing that you DON'T have to do this alone. You have a HUGE support network that stretches out clear across campus, not just within your hall, or even just in Res. Life. It's important to realize that if you need help, GET IT! Don't muddle through something just because you're trying to be Super RA--even the strongest of us need help sometimes.
Amber Benoit - Colorado State University

A. There are many qualities that a person should posses to be an effective RA. Instead of choosing just one, I have decided to discuss two important qualities that are essential to RA's. One of these is being assertive. As an RA you are a person and a resident of your floor as well, therefore you have certain rights that must be respected. Also assertiveness is important when confronting bad behavior. However, there is a big difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness. Assertive behavior is that which respects the rights of both you and the person in which the behavior is directed. Aggressive behavior is that which overpowers and degrades the person to which it is directed. People are more inclined to respond to assertive behavior than aggressive behavior.

Another important quality of a successful RA is to be yourself. Don't try to be someone that your are not. This will make you look fake and people will quickly pick up on that. As a result you might not get much respect from your residents. However, if you are week in certain areas (assertiveness, people skills, time management, etc.) you should take advantage of the opportunity that you have as an RA and improve in those areas.
Eric Honeycutt - North Carolina State University

A. Exemplify positive behavior.
Michael Wilde - Concordia College

Balance (Please don’t fall!!!)
Q. Balance is tough when you are an RA. Balancing RA responsibilities and school can be tough enough, but when you throw other things into the mix, as many of us do, it makes it even harder.   What are some suggestions you have for helping RAs stay balanced?

A.  Get involved in a campus or community organization, club, or activity that meets weekly and is just for fun. that way, you have at least an hour scheduled just for yourself each week...and keep in touch with your old friends and do things with them.

UC Davis

A. The most important suggestion for helping an RA to stay balanced is good time management. As an RA you need to prioritize your activities.  I know that with most housing departments they always say that academic obligations come first and the RA job comes second.  However, this does not mean that an RA can't have other outside activities. It is important for an RA to have good time management skills to balance school, being an RA, and any other activities that an RA might be involved in. A good way to develop skills in time management is to purchase a daily planner that breaks down each day into hours.  This will allow you to list all of your activities for that particular day (i.e. classes, meetings, talking with residents, personal time, exercise, etc.).  Most people find that if they plan their day they work more efficiently. The most important benefit of good time management is stress reduction.  Again, time management is the key to maintaining balance.
Eric Honeycutt - North Carolina State University

A. I think that, especially for first year RAs, it's important to take it a bit easy your first semester. I mean, being an RA is a 24/7 job, and it's hard to merge a whole bunch of other stuff in with classes, duty and desk.  Additionally, I think that it's important to know your priorities, and keep them VERY clear--but also know how to be flexible. Things pop up that need attention, and being able to bend helps a lot. Plus, it's crucial to know when you need "Me Time" and that if you're in a really bad mood, it's not a crime to shut your door for a few minutes and distress.
Amber Benoit - Colorado State University

A. Create prioritized lit, keeping yourself as a top priority. If your needs aren't met, you can't meet your academic or co-curricular needs either.
Michael Wilde - Concordia College

A. Organize, organize, organize. I try to color code everything I have to do.  One color is all the school things that need to be done.  One color represents staff meetings, duties, programs, etc. and the last color represents my third life of being a sorority woman.
Leigh Ann Lorusso - University of Wisconsin at Whitewater