Resident Assistants
Resident Assistant
Build real-world skills that set you apart. Resident Assistants gain valuable experience and build skills in organization, communication, critical thinking, relationship-building, leadership, conflict resolution, crisis management, and teamwork that prepare them to enter the workforce.
Form connections with fellow students and make life-long friends with other staff members. Take full advantage of your college experience - become an RA!
The 2025-2026 Resident Assistant application is OPEN.
The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025.
Video Response Interviews:
Due February 4
In-Person Interviews:
February 17 & 19 (choose one)
Timeline
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Interview Offers: February 13 (via email)
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Hire Offers: March 7 (via email)
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Accept/Decline Offer Deadline: March 14
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2025-2026 FAFSA Filing Deadline: July 1
The Resident Assistant (RA) is a unique, live-in, student leadership position in the Department of Housing and Residence Life (HRL) and is a valued member of the HRL team. The primary responsibility of the RA is to build a residential community that engages and connects students and encourages academic success and personal development.
Resident Assistants are responsible for developing community among their floor of residents via social and educational programming, contributing to the efficient operation of the residence hall via administration, and ensuring the safety of residents and the security of the residence hall via crisis management and policy enforcement. Resident Assistants also serve as customer service representatives, security monitors, and referral agents for residents when working shifts at building front desks.
The Resident Assistant reports directly to, and works in conjunction, with the Residence
Hall Director and Area Coordinator to support the administration and management of
the residence hall, and the education of residential students.
The following qualifications must be met to become a Resident Assistant at Western Kentucky University:
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RAs must be currently enrolled, full-time students as defined by Western Kentucky University.
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RAs must have at least one semester participating in residence hall living.
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RAs must be at least a second semester student at the time of employment.
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RAs must possess a desire to work with individuals and groups in a residential setting.
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RAs must be in good academic, financial, and disciplinary standing with the University and the Department.
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Under extremely rare circumstances, the Associate Director for Housing and Residence Life or their designee may approve exceptions to the above qualifications.
Students must have a current FAFSA on file before beginning work for Housing & Residence Life.
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The RA compensation package includes an hourly wage rate of $9.00 an hour at which the RA is paid 20 hours every week.
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The RA compensation package includes a full housing scholarship and private room at no extra cost. RAs are rarely allowed roommates due to the sensitive nature of their position. At times when occupancy exceeds capacity, the Department of Housing and Residence Life may assign RA roommates on a temporary or permanent basis.
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RAs are provided with many opportunities for leadership, interpersonal, communication, and conflict mediation skill development, networking, and work experiences applicable to many career fields.
- RAs are required to have and maintain a 2.5 total institutional grade point average
at time of application and throughout term of employment. RAs whose total institutional
grade point average falls below the 2.5 requirement will automatically be placed on
“Academic Probation” with the Department of Housing and Residence Life, and an Academic
Success Plan. RAs with total institutional grade point averages below 2.0 will have
their employment terminated. Grade point averages are reviewed each semester. The
RA is, first and foremost, a student. If at any time the position is a perceived detriment
to the student’s academic success, termination may be considered.
- RAs must have a FAFSA on-file for the academic year during which they will be employed.
Failure to complete the FAFSA by July 1st for students employed for fall, and December
1st for students employed for spring, will result in employment offer being rescinded.
- RAs must complete all required hiring paperwork through the Office of Student Employment
and successfully pass a national and local criminal background check prior to starting
work. Failure to complete hiring paperwork and pass a national and criminal background
check by July 1st for students employed for fall, and December 1st for students employed
for spring, will result in employment offer being rescinded.
- RAs will report for work on the day indicated and will remain until the day specified
each semester by the Department of Housing and Residence Life. Student staff working
in buildings utilized for various break housing periods should be prepared to work
during university academic breaks, including Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, and
Spring Break. Resident Assistants should not anticipate leaving their position prior to 24 hours
post-closing each semester.
- RAs are to abide by all University and departmental policies, procedures, and conditions
outlined in the terms of the housing contract, the Student Staff Manual, and Hilltopics
for Residence Hall Living. RAs must also meet the performance expectations of their
respective supervisor.
- RAs must participate in all scheduled training sessions and in-service trainings (a.k.a. L.E.A.D. sessions) as coordinated by their supervisor and the Department of Housing and Residence Life. RAs are required to report for training sessions prior to residence hall check-ins for both fall and spring semesters (see “Important Dates” section below).
- The RA appointment is for the entirety of the academic year, roughly August (prior
to the opening of the campus residence halls) through May (after commencement). The
appointment is contingent upon the successful completion of tasks, assignments, responsibilities,
and favorable performance evaluations.
- RAs are invited to reapply for the position each academic year. Reappointment to the
position is not guaranteed.
- There may be limited numbers of summer positions, which require a separate application
and selection process.
- RAs work 20 hours per week over the course of the fall and spring semesters. Periodically,
the RA work week is expanded to meet the needs of the department (ex. M.A.S.T.E.R.
Plan Week, hall openings and closings, emergency situations including closures, etc.).
- The RA compensation package includes an hourly wage rate of $9.00 at which the RA
is paid 20 hours every week so long as job duties are completed to communicated expectations.
- RAs are assigned to private rooms and are rarely allowed roommates due to the sensitive
nature of their position. At times when occupancy exceeds capacity, the Department
of Housing and Residence Life may assign RA roommates on a temporary or permanent
basis.
- All RAs receive an RA Room Scholarship at the median rate of all residence halls as
calculated by Student Financial Assistance. The RA Room Scholarship is considered
Other Financial Assistance and is included in the overall financial aid package. Students
with questions regarding how the RA Room Scholarship may affect their financial aid
package are directed to contact Student Financial Assistance directly at (270) 745-2755
or fa.help@wku.edu.
- RAs are provided with many opportunities for leadership, interpersonal, communication,
and conflict mediation skill development, networking, and work experiences applicable
to many career fields.
- The RA position is a 20 hour per week commitment; after self-care and academic work,
which requires 40 hours per week on average, the RA role should be of greatest importance.
Therefore, RAs are not permitted to hold other employment, on- or off-campus during
the RA appointment.
- Student teaching or participation in a paid or semester internship while serving as an RA may only be approved by the Director for Residence Life or their designee and must be disclosed prior to accepting the RA position.
Time Commitment
- RAs may be required to work at the front desk or in an on-call capacity at times with
the University is closed and classes are not in session including Labor Day, Fall
Break, Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Spring Break
(see “Important Dates” section below).
- Some campus activities and leadership roles are not compatible with the RA position
due to scheduling conflicts and required time commitments. Roles including those of
H4 Counselor, ISEC Navigator, and M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan Mentor, and activities including
Marching Band Camp and sorority recruitment, pose significant conflicts. Students
are highly encouraged to discuss their other campus involvements, especially if they
include those detailed above, with Housing and Residence Life prior to applying for
the RA position.
- All RAs are expected to be present and available on their floors to respond to resident
needs and any situations that arise. RAs are provided an RA Room Scholarship and are
assigned a bed space in the building in which they work; they are expected to reside
in this space.
- RAs help ensure the safety of hall residents by serving in a 14-hour on-call rotation,
6pm-8am, roughly one standing weeknight (varies by building). On weekends, roughly
one weekend per month (varies by building), RAs serve in a 24-hour on-call rotation.
While serving on-call, during the week and on the weekends, RAs are required to remain
in their buildings, hold the on-call phone, conduct rounds of the building, and respond
to calls. They may also be called upon to work the front desk to ensure a 24-hour
desk operation. RAs always serve on-call in pairs, 1) ensuring back-up for incident
response, 2) allowing one RA to leave the building during short periods of time between
the hours of 8am-6pm on weekends while the other remains in the building and holds
the on-call phone.
- RAs work between 6-10 hours at the front desk weekly; the number of desk hours vary
by building and may be scheduled at other area front desks.
- RAs are required to attend weekly staff meetings (1 hour), monthly all staff meetings (1 hour), and weekly one-on-ones with the Residence Hall Director (30 minutes-1 hour).
Important Dates
Listed below are important dates for RAs related to training, move-in, and hall openings and closings. RAs are required to attend and participate in all trainings and hall openings and closings. Students interested in applying for the RA position should make note of the dates listed below prior to applying. Note: these dates are subject to change but are best approximations as of the date of this posting.
Fall 2025 | |
RA Training | July 30-August 6 |
Summer Hall Transition | August 5 & 6 |
M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan | August 11-16 |
Halls Open | August 15 |
First Day of Classes | August 18 |
Labor Day | September 1 |
Fall Break | October 6-7 |
Thanksgiving Break-Halls Close | November 26 |
Thanksgiving Break - Halls Open | November 30 |
Winter Break - Halls Close | December 12 |
Spring 2026 | |
RA Training | January 12-15 |
Halls Open | January 16 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | January 19 |
First Day of Classes | January 20 |
Spring Break - Halls Close | March 13 |
Spring Break-Halls Open | March 22 |
Summer Break-Halls Close | May 9 |
*Dates may be subject to change
Personal Conduct and Conflicts of Interest
- RAs are expected to establish positive, effective working relationships with the Residence
Hall Director and other student staff members.
- RA are expected to maintain a direct line of communication with Residence Hall Director;
resolve questions, share concerns, follow-up, and provide updates with professionalism.
- When communicating with each other, RAs are expected to demonstrate maturity, respect,
honesty, patience, and empathy.
- RAs are not to have romantic relationships with residents over whom they have direct,
indirect, or perceived influence. Recognizing that such relationships can develop,
RAs are expected to disclose romantic relationships with residents to their supervisor
at which time a building transfer may be considered.
- RAs who choose to engage in romantic relationships with other RAs are encouraged to
disclose said relationships to their supervisors as this can cause unforeseen issues,
at such time a building transfer may be considered.
- RAs must not use their position to have influence over residents, including friends,
roommates, or partners.
- RAs should not transport residents in personal vehicles in their role as an RA.
- RAs assist in the recruitment of new RAs and help facilitate Interview Day activities.
Community Development
- Display a positive attitude and serve as a constructive role model for hall residents.
- Establish helping relationships with floor residents by knowing and calling residents
by their preferred names and interacting with each resident twice per semester.
- Be familiar with and use university referral resources when needed (academic, personal,
social, counseling, financial, disciplinary, etc.).
- Create and maintain attractive, informative, relevant, and up-to-date Bulletin Boards
and Door Decorations in accordance with the Programing Model.
- Plan, advertise, facilitate, and evaluate social and educational programs as set forth
by the Programming Model.
- Promote an inclusive community by role modeling and facilitating positive interactions
between residents.
- Encourage attendance at university-sponsored, building-wide, and area- programs and
activities.
- Encourage resident involvement in hall and departmental student organizations including
Hall/Community Council, Residence Hall Association, and National Residence Hall Honorary.
- Proactively address potential roommate conflicts by encouraging completion of the
Roommate Lifestyle Agreement.
- Mediate conflicts that may occur between roommates and among other residents.
- Be cognizant of happenings on the floor or wing (i.e. environment, programmatic initiatives, student leadership, and behavioral issues) and communicate them to the Residence Hall Director or other university officials in a timely and appropriate manner.
Administrative Functions
- Effectively manage time to meet all deadlines and fulfill all administrative duties.
- Assist with room check-in and checkout procedures throughout the year.
- Inventory and update the condition of resident room items via StarRez prior to the
beginning of the fall semester and throughout the academic year as residents check-in
and out of their spaces.
- Maintain accuracy of key box by distributing keys according to training.
- Conduct informational floor meetings as set forth by the Programming Model.
- Be aware of the physical condition of hall common areas (hallways, kitchens, study
rooms) and public spaces (lobbies, lounges, recreation rooms), reporting maintenance
issues, concerns, damages, or vandalism to the Residence Hall Director in a timely
manner.
- Assist residents in submitting maintenance requests.
- Accurately account for hours worked by signing in and out of desk shifts, recording
hours on Web Time Entry, and submitting Timesheets by communicated deadlines.
- Perform other duties as necessary or assigned by supervisors or the Central Office staff.
Safety & Security Functions
- Contribute to the safety of hall residents and security of the residence hall by consistently
enforcing university and residence hall policies, consulting with the Residence Hall
Director as needed.
- Uphold and maintain a positive attitude concerning the department’s policies and procedures.
- Educate residents about hall policies and procedures, providing rationale and addressing
questions.
- Perform building rounds and complete rounds logs while serving on-call, three times
per night.
- Conduct health and safety checks of resident rooms according to published schedule.
- Document alleged policy violations via Maxient Incident Reports, submitting Reports
in a timely manner, and work closely with the Residence Hall Director to communicate
actions taken.
- Maintain confidentiality concerning policy violations and their resolution.
- Respond to emergency and/or crisis situations according to training protocols.
- Serve as Responsible Employee and report all instances of Title IX disclosures in adherence to university policy.
Customer Service Front Desk Operations
- Adopt a spirit of helpfulness and provide excellent customer service to residents
of and visitors to the residence hall, while working the front desk.
- Serve as informational resource to residents and visitors, answer questions to best
ability and make referrals when necessary.
- Assist in ensuring the security of the building by requiring identification of residents
and visitors upon entry, and logging visitors into the StarRez Student Housing System.
- Accept deliveries, sort and log packages using Notifii Package Tracking software
Resident Assistants should expect informal, continual feedback regarding their job performance from their supervisor throughout the term of their employment. RAs are formally evaluated twice per academic year. During this process, feedback from residents and peers may be requested. Failure to meet expectations for job performance will be documented and may initiate Job Action.
Resident Assistants serve as role models for academic success, conduct, and behavior. To fulfill the duties of their position, RAs must hold themselves accountable to university and departmental policies, and expectations of their position. Should an RA fail to meet said expectations, or violate the terms of their employment, th RA can expect intervention on behalf of their supervisor up to and including termination.
The Job Action steps detailed below are intended to assist the RA in identifying areas for improvement, accessing resources, developing skill sets, and building confidence to ensure success in the position.
- Verbal Warning (documented via Job Action form)
- Written Warning (documented via Job Action form; official letter in employment file)
- Probation
- Termination
Violations of the Student Code of Conduct, Hilltopics for Residence Hall Living, Student Staff Manual, and housing contract may result in termination. Some alleged violations require further investigation. During this time, the RA may be removed from their duties temporarily, pending an outcome. The Job Action process does not replace the University conduct process; both processes can take place concurrently and separately, with one sometimes impacting the other.
Any RA who is terminated has the right to appeal the decision to the Director for Housing and Residence Life or their designee in writing within five (5) business days of termination. Upon termination, RAs are required to move out of their assigned space; accommodations in another residence hall may be provided.
Interested students must apply online via Handshake. Contact CareerHelp@wku.edu with questions about your Handshake account.
The Resident Assistant application requires an updated resume. Additionally, if you were not employed in the RA position during the 2024-2025 academic year, video responses to supplemental questions are also required. Video responses will be collected via Spark Hire, a video interview platform. Video responses can be submitted using a mobile device, tablet, laptop, or computer.
A link to Spark Hire will be sent to qualified candidates via email on a rolling basis:
Tips for video responses:
- Pick a quiet and well-lit place where you won’t be interrupted.
- Speak clearly and audibly.
- Take time to consider your responses.
- Keep your responses concise, but make sure they’re complete.
- Listen to your recording. If you don’t like it, re-record it.
- Reviewers will be able to see you; consider your appearance.
- Be sure to provide your identifying information prior to submitting.
Hiring Timeline--New RA Applicants
- Position Posted--November 18, 2024
- Application Deadline--January 31, 2025
- Video Interview Response Deadline--February 4, 2025
- Application & Video Response Review--February 5-12, 2025
- In-Person Interview Offers Extended (via email)*--February 13, 2025
- In-Person Interview Scheduling Deadline--February 16, 2025
- In-Person Interviews--February 17 & 19, 2025
- New RA Offers Extended (via email)--March 7, 2025
- Accept/Decline Deadline--March 14, 2025
- April LEAD/Fall Staff Meeting--April 21, 2025
*New RA applicants extended offers to interview are required to sign-up for a thirty-minute interview slot on either Monday, February 17 (7-9pm) or Wednesday, February 19 (1-3pm).
Questions regarding the application process may be directed to hrlapply@wku.edu.
The 2025-2026 Resident Assistant Application is OPEN on Handshake.
Handshake Job #9466681
If you have questions about the RA position or the RA application, please contact hrlapply@wku.edu
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