By 
resident assistants to guide and support
students living on campus.
Preface/NICK WORT
By: ASHLEY KATLUN
Staff Writer
Seven out of eight resident assistants (RAs) will be graduating this May, leaving River Crossing Campus Housing searching for the perfect candidates to fill RA positions for the 2014-15 school year.
The RAs at housing are trained to help student residents in several ways, offering guidance and support when needed. RAs are usually the first resource residents turn to for issues that range from being locked out of an apartment to personal or emotional issues to acting as cheerleaders to encourage students to get more involved with IUSB campus life.
“We’re like community builders, so we try to engage the people that live in our buildings by several different mediums, encouraging them to go to events, encouraging them to join clubs, encouraging them to form study groups,” said Chris Boylan, a current RA.
Another aspect of RAs’ jobs is to ensure that all residents remain safe and secure.
“Part of the job is ultimately making sure that everybody’s safe and another part of that is having to deal with uncomfortable situations,” Boylan said. “I wouldn’t at all consider us police. We’re just here to make sure everyone’s having fun and everybody’s following the rules.”
While this position may seem easy to some, it is not for the faint of heart. The number of residents one RA is responsible for ranges from 30 to 50 people. RAs also rotate being on call, which includes making multiple rounds in all eight buildings and being available to assist residents day or night.
The training process lasts from 7 to 10 days and includes team building exercises, diversity training, and training from the staff at IUSB’s Student Counseling Center to help RAs recognize and learn how to deal with emotional issues they may encounter with their residents.
One student who is up for the challenge is Kara Bogoslawski, a new media major and current housing resident.
“I applied to IUSB and clung to the goal of becoming a resident assistant for academic reasons, which quickly grew to be more emotional reasons as my year here went on,” Bogoslawski said. “The amount of dedication and genuine enjoyment that they [Resident Assistants] have towards their work is contagious.”
The perks of being a resident assistant include bi-weekly stipends and an apartment at River Crossing Campus Housing, but those are not the only reasons job applicants should want the position.
“I really don’t like saying those are the benefits of the job because they don’t want someone applying for this job because you get to live here for free. You want someone to apply for the job because they’re going to connect with their residents and their going to try and engage them and help them be successful all across the board,” Boylan said.
Applications are being accepted up until Feb. 14. For more information on how to apply, qualifications and academic requirements visit the River Crossing Campus Housing website at www.iusb.edu/housing.
