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Office of Residential Life

RCA Position Description

Residential Community Advisor (RCA) Position Description:

The Office of Residential Life is responsible for translating the overall philosophy and objectives of the Illinois Wesleyan University residence hall program into a practical and meaningful set of services, activities, and programs for students living within the University- owned residence halls. The RCA represents the Office of Residential Life and works to promote an environment that fosters educational and personal growth. Interpretation of the University, its purposes, objectives, and standards is a vital function of the Residential Community Advisor position. The main functional responsibilities of this position include supervision of the hall desk, serving as a role model to staff and residents, and assisting the Area Director of that hall. The Office of Residential Life intends to have one Residential Community Advisor in each traditional residence hall. The Residential Community Advisor positions will be filled and placed before RA or FYRA Selections are made.

Responsibilities:

Educational & Personal Growth

  • Attend and actively participate in Spring, Fall, and Winter Trainings and staff developments throughout the year.
  • Serve as a helper and resource to students in fostering growth and development within individual and group contexts, especially assisting students in making wise choices through using effective decision-making skills.
  • Mentor building staff on in-hall responsibilities, including, but not limited to, hall desk procedures, duty, rounds, and emergency procedures
  • Provide a variety of active and passive programming opportunities targeting residents, staff members, and compliance with the approach and structure of the ORL programming model.
  • Complete, as directed, community-building activities for residents.

Crisis Response

  • Assume on-duty coverage responsibilities for the hall on a rotating basis with other Residential Life staff members.
  • Assume campus-wide on-duty weekend coverage one or two weekends per semester.
  • Perform necessary functions in the absence of the Area Director; for example, facilitating staff meetings, coordinating crises, and making appropriate referrals.

Administration

  • Assist Residential Life staff members in the check-in and check-out process of residents at the beginning and end of each semester; assist Residential Life staff members in closing and opening residence halls during vacation and holiday periods.
  • Participate in bi-weekly staff meetings scheduled throughout the year.
  • Complete administrative work promptly. Administrative duties include, but are not limited to: facilitating staff meetings, distributing and collecting information, submitting maintenance requests, completing weekly reports, updating duty logs, and posting flyers.

Departmental

  • Implement, with other residence hall staff, the philosophy and objectives of the IWU residence hall program as outlined and explained by the Office of Residential Life.
  • Serve as a paraprofessional on one Office of Residential Life committee: First Year Experience, Selection, Training, Recognition.
  • Represent the Office of Residential Life and other Student Affairs staff by promoting good communication between all segments of the University community.
  • Act as a source of continuing student orientation to the University; contribute to the success of Turning Titan

Orientation

  • Participate in yearly processes such as staff selection, housing selection, and any professional staff search.
  • Attend University Convocations and other campus functions of notable significance.
  • Assume other responsibilities related to the residence hall program as assigned by the Area Director or the Office of Residential Life.

Residential Community Advisors report directly to the Area Director of the hall in which they are assigned.

Residential Community Advisors must be Illinois Wesleyan students with one semester of experience as an FY/RA at Illinois Wesleyan. Residential Community Advisors must be in good academic standing and have access to a cell phone to use when they serve on duty and while on campus.

As a residence hall staff, we function as educators. One of the most effective ways of educating others is through role modeling appropriate behaviors. Examples of behaviors expected of a Residential Community Advisor include: Setting a positive example. Conducting yourself in an honest, conscientious, courteous, and professional manner at all times and showing respect for persons of all backgrounds, ethnicities, races, lifestyles, interests, and abilities. Maintaining appropriate personal and professional decorum. Refraining from becoming involved in activities or encouraging behaviors that are in direct opposition to this principle.Confronting your colleagues who display inappropriate actions or do not show respect for others, especially in situations dealing with alcohol use. Actively supporting, interpreting, enforcing, and abiding by all University policies and procedures as described in the University Catalog, Student Handbook, Residential Life Policies, and any other official publications made available to you or to the student body in general. Inappropriate role-modeling, given the context above, may be cause for immediate termination of appointment by the Office of Residential Life. Additionally, any Residential Community Advisor who leaves the position (forced or voluntary) will be subject to a hall re-assignment.

Residential Community Advisors must maintain a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average. A Residential Community Advisor will be placed on probation at the time the cumulative average falls below a 2.75. A Residential Community Advisor failing to achieve good academic standing after one semester of probation may be dismissed, and the appointment terminated.

 

 
Jermaine Ferguson headshot

Jermaine Ferguson - Director, Office of Residential Life

Department - Residence Halls-operations