Assistant Resident Director

Job Description

The Assistant Resident Director position is one of the most important, influential and rewarding leadership opportunity available to students. The Assistant Resident Directors are experienced, undergraduate (junior or senior) members of the Residence Life Team and are supervised by the Resident Director as well as are responsible to the Assistant Director in the areas of scheduling and timecards. They are responsible for the efficient day to day operation of the front desk, as well as assisting the Resident Director in the areas of staff supervision, leadership development, and administrative tasks. The Assistant Resident Director is a live-in, student employment position within Residence Life. 

The Assistant Resident Director establishes a rapport with students within the residential area and assists these students in the adjustment to community living and university life. The Assistant Resident Director clearly articulates and implements University and Housing and Residence Life policies in a residence hall and is available to counsel, advise, and refer students when appropriate. In addition, the Assistant Resident Director monitors resident student's adjustment to community living and provides routine contact, mentoring and guidance. The Assistant Resident Director assists with Residence Life processes and programs.   

The Assistant Resident Director is responsible for working with the Resident Director in overseeing the Community Assistants and Desk Receptionists in areas related to community development, responsible community membership, position expectations, programming, desk functions and administration, timecards and scheduling.  

The Assistant Resident Director, under the direction of the Resident Director, assists in developing staff through participation with recruitment, selection, training, and evaluation processes.  

The Assistant Resident Director, under the direction of the Resident Director, provides assistance and active support for the development and implementation of programming which supports the academic mission and community development within the hall.  

The Assistant Resident Director, under the direction of the Resident Director, performs the duties necessary to maintain the efficient functioning and monitoring of all desk and mailroom operations within the hall. These duties include, but are not limited to, scheduling, logbook management, guest registration, key and equipment inventory and control, mail and package tracking and distribution, safety and security functions, emergency communication processes, and keeping appropriate files/forms accessible.  

The Assistant Resident Director establishes and publishes a weekly and weekend work schedule for the Community Assistants and the Desk Receptionists.  

The Assistant Resident Director will be responsible for assisting the Resident Director in overseeing the administrative tasks of the residence hall.   

The Assistant Resident Director maintains 12 scheduled office hours a week. These hours are to be held independent of the Resident Director's office hours.   

The Assistant Resident Director will assist the Resident Director in developing and advising an effective group of student leaders for Hall Council.  

The Assistant Resident Director is responsible for the efficient opening and closings of the hall, relative to scheduling, administration, and supervision.  

The Assistant Resident Director intervenes with students whose behaviors are not appropriate for the residence community. They report violation of federal, state, and/or local laws and infraction of the University Conduct Guidelines.

The Assistant Resident Director will participate in the in hall duty rotation. 

The Assistant Resident Director is responsible to serve as a liaison with student, student staff and professional staff within Residence Life. They are responsible for communicating Housing and Residence Life processes, procedures, activities, programs, issues and concerns between the Housing and Residence Life Office and resident staff and students.  

The Assistant Resident Director performs other duties as assigned by the Resident Director, Assistant Director, Associate Director, or Director of Residence Life.

ARD Responsibilities

  • Academic and Staff Conduct
    • Maintain a cumulative GPA each semester of a 2.5.
    • Remain in good judicial standing with the University.
    • Support the Mission, Vision, Goals and Core Values which govern the Office of Residence Life.
    • Refrain from making statements to the media that would reflect negatively on the department. Additionally ARD's will refrain from creating posts on the various social media posts (Twitter, Facebook, Snap Chat, Instagram, etc) that would reflect negatively on the department or depict behaviors what would be unbecoming of a  Residence Life Staff member.
    • Romantic or preferential relationships with students working within the hall in which the ARD is serving are prohibited.
    • Be enrolled full-time, maintaining academic progress (24 credits per academic year).
    • Should a staff member be released from their position or should they resign, they will be reassigned to a room in a different hall.
  • Training and Staff Development

    Spring Prior to Start

    • Attend ARD training sessions held during the Spring semester
    • Be present for the New Fall Staff meeting held in April

    Fall

    • Be present for Fall Student Staff Training starting late July
    • Facilitate in hall training sessions with the Resident Director
    • Present or Co-present one session
    • Assist with the facilitation of Policies and Procedures

    Online Training

    • Complete Protection of Minors and Clery Training on D2L annually

    Continued Training

    • Attend 3 continued trainings a semester
    • Facilitate one in hall continued training session a semester for the staff

    Staff Selection

    • Assist with staff recruitment
    • Participate in the interviewing of CA and DR Candidates

    Evaluations

    • Assist Resident Director in the evaluation of the CA and DR staff

    Mediate Staff Conflict

    • The ARD will work with staff to mediate minor level staff conflict not warranting discipline

    Serve as a Resource for the Staff

    • Answer questions
    • Ensure the staff's understanding of university's policies and procedures
    • Serve as a liaison between the student staff and the Resident Director

    Staff Development

    • Plan two staff socials a semester
    • Work with Resident Director to plan team builders and ice breakers during training and through the school year
    • Assist RD in the recognition of staff members
  • Administrative

    Serve as Second in Command

    • Provide support for the staff and residents in conjunction with and in the absence of the Resident Director
    • Serve as a point of contact for the Assistant Director of Hall Operations in the absence of the Resident Director
    • Maintain an open line of communication with the Resident Director and Assistant Director of Hall Operations keeping them aware or situations and issues that occur in the building

    Establish Office Hours

    • Assistant Resident Directors are to establish, post, and maintain 12 office hours a week
    • These hours are to be held independently of the office hours of the Resident Director's
    • ARD's working with Resident Director who has an internship/practicum will plan their office hours during the time the RD is away
    • ARD office hours are to be held between 8am and 9pm Monday-Friday
    • The ARD will serve as the first point of contact for residents and the Assistant Director in the absence of the Resident Director

    Meet all set deadlines

    Email and Voicemail

    • The ARD will check and respond to email and voicemail regularly

    Documentation

    • Following the appropriate protocol for documenting situations
    • Maintain accurate paper trails
    • File all paperwork

    Housing Violations

    • The ARD will log all Housing Violations into the database

    Front Desk Operations

    • Oversee all aspects of the desk operation
    • Work with the Resident Director to supervise the Desk Receptionists
    • Ensure desk is stocked with necessary forms and supplies
    • Oversee the completion of the Desk Log
    • Address procedural errors as they arise

    Staff Schedules

    • Oversees the scheduling of the front desk
    • Work with the DR's to create a schedule
    • Oversee the scheduling of the CA duty rotation
    • Work with the CA's to create a duty schedule
    • Schedule themselves for 6 duty nights a semester, two of which need to be over a weekend
    • Provide copies of the most up to date schedules to the appropriate individuals

    Mailroom Operations

    • Oversee the setup of the mailroom
    • Ensure that the staff is following the appropriate protocol for receiving, logging, and distributing mail
    • Keep mailroom neat and organized

    Time Cards:

    • Ensure the accurate and timely completion of time cards by the Desk Receptionists
    • Work with the Desk Receptionists to correct errors
    • Turn in corrected time cards into Assistant Director

    Inventories

    • Maintain Common Area, Key (where applicable), and Recreational Equipment inventories
    • Complete Roster Audits

    Meetings

    • Attend and play an active role in staff meeting each week
    • The ARD is responsible for all meeting items pertaining to the DR's and the management of the desk
    • Meet daily with the Resident Director
    • Attend weekly ARD meetings   

    Assist with the Openings and Closing of Building

    • Schedule the staff
    • Oversee Opening and Closing tasks
    • Return early and stay late

    Other Duties as Assigned

  • Crisis Management
    • Serve in an in hall duty rotation
    • Have knowledge and understanding of University policies
    • Enforce University Policy
    • Confront inappropriate behavior
    • Assistant on call GSE and Public Safety with emergency situations when necessary
    • Serve as a mandatory reporter
    • Follow the appropriate protocol for documenting situations and behaviors
    • Follow the appropriate protocol for the use of the lock block key, I-Key, or Master Swipes 
  • Community Development

    Resource

    • ARD serves as a point of contact for residents in the absence of the Resident Director
    • ARDs are a liaison between the Office of Residence Life and the students living in the residence hall. They are familiar with the department's events, processes, and timelines
    • Be familiar with campus resources and services
    • Assist the residents in their understanding of campus policies and procedures
    • Communicate with all residents and staff members in an open, supportive, and constructive manner
    • Assist the with the mediation and resolution of conflict
    • The ARD will handle the next level of roommate mediation after the CA's initial attempt

    Role Model

    • Be in good academic standing
    • Abide by University policies and remain in good judicial standing
    • Develop and maintain relationships with residents and University personnel
    • Promote a living/learning atmosphere that enhances education and is supportive of the exchange of diverse ideas and experiences

    Programming

    • Coordinate one faculty program or initiative each semester
    • Serve as a resource for Community Assistants in the area of programming
    • Support, promote, and attend CA Programs
    • Oversee the collaborative efforts of the Community Assistants in one All Hall Program each semester
    • Maintain the bulletin board behind the front desk
    • Use the Programming Database appropriately

    Advisement

    • Assist in hall council recruitment
    • Assist the Resident Director in developing and advising an effective group of student leaders in hall council
    • Attend hall council weekly hall council meetings

Application Information

  • Minimum Qualifications
    • Must have previous experience as a Community Assistant, Desk Receptionist, or First Year Mentor prior to assuming the Assistant Resident Director position. 
    • Have a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average.
    • Be enrolled full-time, maintaining academic progress (24 credits per academic year).
    • Be in good judicial standing with the University.
  • Application Process

    Complete all parts of the application.

    • Complete the ARD application
    • Complete the Cover Sheet Provide a typed response to the three questions.
    • Submit a cover letter outlining skills gained from previous employment as well as your campus involvement.
    • Provide a resume

    Take part in the interview process. 

    • Each candidate will work with Colleen Franclik, a secretary within the office to set up an individual interview with one of the members of the Central Office.
    • The interview will take about 45 minutes.

    Participate in the Assistant Resident Director Group Process.

    • The Assistant Resident Director Group Process is comprised of a set of group activities in which the candidates participate providing them with an opportunity to demonstrate the skills they possess.
    • The process is overseen by the Director of Residence Life.
    • Candidates are observed and evaluated during the process by the Graduate Student Employees of the department.
  • Once Selected

    For the academic year prior to their employment as an Assistant Resident Director, all selected and placed candidates must:

    • Have completed the Housing application process for the academic year they will be employed.
    • Have completed the appropriate paperwork with the Residence Life: signed acceptance letter, completed Student Employment Application, and Stipend Agreement.
    • Have completed paper work with Human Resources to obtain a Work Authorization Number
    • Have competed Criminal Background checks and FBI fingerprinting. Fees for these services are covered by KU. Instructions for completing these will be given upon the receipt of your completed paperwork. 
    • Be enrolled full-time, maintaining academic progress (24 credits per academic year) for the academic year they will be employed.
    • Maintain a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average.
    • Be in good judicial standing with the University.
    • Remain in their current student staff position (CA or DR).
    • Participate in scheduled trainings.

Position Compensation

The Assistant Resident Director compensation package includes:

  • A room assignment in one of our residence halls (suite or traditional style at the cost of the lowest traditional hall double occupancy room rate [current rates can be found here])
  • A $7000 stipend for the length of the academic year. Stipend is divided and distributed on the Kutztown University student payroll schedule (every two weeks) during the days in which the student is contracted in the position.      
  • Contract length: one academic year. The Assistant Resident Director contract begins in July and terminates at the close of finals in Spring semester.

Should you have any questions concerning the application/selection process or interview time, date and location, please feel free to call 610-683-4027 or ask your Resident Director.

Interested in Applying?