This application is for individuals interested in becoming a Resident Assistant on Dutch Quad.
Applicants are also welcome to fill out a separate application for a University Apartments position only. Applicants applying to more than one quad will be disqualified.
Please note that this application is limited to the first 100 applicants and may close early if 100 applicants are received before the deadline.
2025-2026 Resident Assistant Terms of Employment:
Listed below are the conditions of your employment as a member of Residential Life.
Resident Assistants are responsible for:
- Assisting in the overall management and daily operations of their assigned area.
- These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, being visible, regularly visiting residents, and disseminating information and programming updates to your respective living area
- Developing a robust and positive environment conducive to students’ academic and personal success.
- Having a good work ethic, excellent communication skills, the ability to work as part of a team, and understand the importance of ‘good customer service.’
- Having a positive attitude and commitment to the position to ensure success and personal growth.
- Initiating health and safety checks of residents in their living areas as needed.
- Understanding and appreciating the environmental factors that impact students living in a multi-cultural community and are responsible for facilitating the development of a respectful, inclusive, and positive community within a floor or section. Each staff member must be a positive role model- creating, promoting, and maintaining a living and learning atmosphere conducive to individual student growth.
- Being team players willing to support all other Residential Life staff members to establish a positive residential atmosphere.
- Developing a sense of community for their floor(s) and throughout the residence halls through several mediums, including but not limited to: holding floor meetings, spending significant time on their floor(s), playing an active role in leadership development, and building mentoring relationships with residents.
- Staffing their respective Quad Information Center on a rotating basis for approximately 2 – 6 hours per shift. Please note that this includes weekday and weekend duty responsibilities.
- Serve as support for the Director on Duty during assigned duty nights or weekends. Resident Assistants must always enforce University policies.
- Assisting with the living area’s administrative and operational functions, including check-in and check-out procedures, continuing student housing sign-up, staff selection, and facilities-related tasks in cooperation with residential maintenance personnel. These duties may require additional hours in the Quad Information Center.
- Attend All-staff meetings, training sessions, Narcan training, one-on-one meetings, in-services, workshops, and other departmental events. This policy holds unless their absence is approved in advance by their direct supervisor or the Assistant Director for Residential Life for their Residential Community.
- Must fulfill all programming requirements outlined by the Residential Life SharePoint and the Resident Director assigned to coordinate programming for the Quad.
- Following all outlined policies and procedures at all times. There is no tolerance for abuse of authority, privilege, or benefits.
- Working on either Quad within their Residential Community as needed.
- Should the need arise, Resident Assistants assist any campus residential area or campus unit as directed by their supervisor.
- Student Staff Members must reapply annually for a position with the Department as the term of appointment is only for this academic year.
Job Performance:
- Resident Assistants recognize that individual performance and appropriate behavior are critical to the successful operation of one’s area. That performance can be reviewed at any time if deemed necessary by professional staff.
- Student Staff Members must reapply annually for a position with the Department as the term of appointment is only for this academic year.
- As an At-Will employee, the Department of Residential Life can terminate your service as a staff member before the appointment end date.
- Should a staff member’s performance not meet the expectations outlined, that staff member will be subject to consequences ranging from a verbal warning to termination.
- Resident Assistants must abide by the policies outlined in the Staff Handbook, the Residential Life SharePoint, Community Rights and Responsibilities, the Terms & Conditions of the University Residence Halls License, and other documents provided as guidance material. Staff must conduct themselves in conformity to university policies at all times. Staff will behave as positive role models for residents both on and off campus. When making personal and work-related decisions, staff will understand that they represent the Department of Residential Life and our students. The Department expects staff members to make decisions that best represent the Department and the University at Albany.
Outside Employment and Co-curricular Activities:
- Student Staff Members will agree to treat their position as the top priority after academic-related work. All staff will appropriately plan around Departmental expectations such as duty, programming, meetings, training, opening, closing, etc.
- Academic commitments are the only priority that may supersede their Residential Life responsibilities and expectations.
- Co-curricular activities, on or off-campus jobs, and University-related opportunities that are non-academic are considered secondary to their Residential Life role.
- Resident Assistants limit employment outside to no more than 10 hours per week.
- The supervisor must approve all outside employment before Resident Assistants commit to an additional job.
- If a Resident Assistant overcommits to other responsibilities, employment may be subject to termination.
Qualifications:
Resident Assistants must be full-time matriculated students for the duration of their employment.
- Resident Assistants must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.
- Resident Assistants must remain in good disciplinary standing with the University at Albany.
Remuneration:
- Resident Assistants receive a room waiver for their assigned Resident Assistant space.
- The Department of Residential Life selects Resident Assistant rooms. Resident Assistants receive either a designed single or a standard double. No substitution is allowed once assigned to a room (i.e., switching from a designed single to a standard double or vice versa or changing rooms on the floor or within the building).
If hired, be advised:
- Medical Accommodations – Medical based housing requests are not guaranteed but will be considered for individuals who have an approved accommodation through Disability Access & Inclusion Student Services.
- Recess Housing– Recess Housing during scheduled academic breaks/intersession is available to all students who reside in a designated recess building. Due to limited options requests cannot be guaranteed but will be considered upon notice.
