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Residence Life Conditions of Employment
As members of the Residence Life Staff, Resident Assistants and Hall Directors are expected to present themselves in a way that is congruent with the mission, values and philosophies espoused by the department. These conditions of employment serve to guide the staff member and should not be seen as an exhaustive list. Staff members must display a commitment to resident student success, which includes out-of-classroom learning and an exploration of citizenship roles. Staff members should exercise good judgment and adhere to the highest standards of ethics while serving as Residence Life staff members.
- Resident Assistants must have completed a minimum of 28 credits by the time of employment and have a minimum of a 2.2 cumulative GPA at the time of application. RAs must have been an active member of a residence hall community for at least one semester before starting employment. RAs may not have an active judicial sanction at the time of employment.
- The student staff contract period is for one full academic year (August through May). In most cases, staff members will not be hired for only one semester. The contract period begins at the reporting time and extends three working days beyond the completion of the spring final examination period for Hall Directors and one day for Resident Assistants. The contract period includes winter session.
- Contracts are NOT automatically renewed. You must request and be granted a contract renewal each year. Contract renewal requests may be denied for several reasons including (but not limited too) lack of satisfactory job performance, and/or failure to fulfill job responsibilities.
- You will be evaluated on your performance in your position. This evaluation uses a number of factors including self-assessment, resident student feedback, peer feedback and supervisor observation.
- Hall Directors and Resident Assistants are required to participate in all staff team development and training sessions. This includes summer, mid-year, on-going training sessions, complex meetings, complex retreats and other development and training activities. Due to the fact that summer training sessions are not reproducible, staff members must attend all sessions and may not miss nor be excused from training sessions due to co-curricular involvement such as sports practice, band practice, etc. Please note that some retreats, meetings and training sessions will occur at night or on weekends.
- Staff members should understand that they will be viewed as a representative of the Office of Residence Life and the University of Delaware at all times. Staff members are certainly allowed and encouraged to express disagreement when personal values, mission, and philosophies are not congruent with the Office of Residence Life and the University of Delaware . It is expected that student staff members do not use their position title when expressing views on any aspect of the University of Delaware . This includes online interactions as well. Staff should refer to the procedure statements found in the Residence Life Staff Manual regarding the Expectations for Internet Usage and Conduct and to the Staff Interaction with the Press and other Media for more information.
- RAs are required, during their first semester on contract, to register for and take UNIV 320, "Contemporary Issues for Resident Assistants." Resident Assistants hired mid-year are expected to take UNIV 320 during the spring semester. Standard full time tuition rate allows a student to take between 12 and 17 credits. If UNIV 320 takes a student's total number of class hours to over 17 credits, the student will be required to pay the additional fee per credit hour.
- Any staff member who resigns or is terminated during the contract period must vacate the staff room/apartment within 72 hours of his/her employment separation, unless otherwise arranged with the supervisor. Upon separation, the staff member remains bound by the full year Residence Hall Agreement.
- Positions are only open to students enrolled in the undergraduate or graduate colleges of the University of Delaware . All staff members must be fully matriculated in a degree granting program. Once degree requirements are met, eligibility for staff positions is discontinued. Continuing Education students are not eligible for employment.
- Loss of student status for any reason will result in the loss of the Residence Life position.
- The demands placed on staff members by their academic and Residence Life responsibilities make the following limitations necessary; however, please discuss any concerns you have with these limitations with the Assistant Director of Residence Life for Selection and Training prior to signing your contract:
- Staff members must maintain a normal credit load (12-17 credits for undergraduates, 6-12 credits for graduate students). Enrollment in winter term classes in not required.
- Because staff members are peer educators and academic role models, undergraduate staff members must maintain a 2.2 cumulative GPA or higher and graduate staff members must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher. Failure to do so will result in termination of the contract. The contract of any undergraduate staff member who receives a semester GPA of 1.0 or less will be terminated.
- Undergraduate staff members may work outside the Office of Residence Life only with the advance approval of the Complex Coordinator, in consultation with the Associate Director of Residence Life. If approval is granted, the staff member may work a maximum of ten hours a week.
- Because staff members are community leaders, they must be in good judicial standing at the University. A staff member will be terminated if (s)he gets placed on an active judicial sanction while employed unless an exception is authorized by the Associate Director and the Director. Please note that exceptions to this policy are extremely rare.
- Major academic and extra-curricular commitments beyond class work must be limited and undertaken only with prior approval of the Complex Coordinator, in consultation with the Associate Director for Residence Life. This includes but is not limited to internships, sports teams, outside employment, leadership positions in organizations and multiple evening classes. Members of sports teams that travel extensively may not be Resident Assistants. Members of teams or organizations whose practice schedules conflict with summer staff training must be able to attend ALL training sessions as stated above.
- Undergraduate staff members are not allowed to student teach or engage in co-operative educational activities (CO-OPs). The Office of Residence Life will consult with the appropriate department for staff members and candidates who will be involved in clinical experiences associated with the Nursing, Medical Technology, Physical Therapy and any other similar programs before permission will be granted to hold a student staff position while undertaking such endeavors.
- Staff members are not permitted to attend social functions on campus involving illegal drugs or where there is underage drinking. Illegal possession or consumption of alcohol and/or drugs on or off campus will result in job action.
- The University of Delaware is an educational institution. Therefore, the expression of a variety of viewpoints is encouraged. However, Residence Life staff members should refrain from using their position to promote a particular religious doctrine or partisan political viewpoint.
- Resident Assistants are required to purchase a meal plan (except Christiana Towers Resident Assistants). This includes Winter Session, when a special, discounted plan is offered to RAs for the winter session only. Arrangements for the purchase of meal plans should be made directly with Dining Services.
Continue on to Hall Directors Conditions of Employment:
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